VASCO
The gram sabha members called for creating awareness among the public on adverse impact of radiation from mobile phone towers on their health.
The gram sabhas were held following directives from the ministry of external affairs to the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) to enhance network connectivity in view of the BRICS summit.
The Directorate of Panchayats, through its block development offices, had issued memorandum to 18 panchayats along the coastal belt to convene extraordinary gram sabhas to discuss the issue of erecting mobile phone towers at 61 sites during the summit.
The officials of department of telecommunication along with the Goa State Pollution Control Board tried to create public awareness to allay the apprehensions of radiation and possible health effects from electromagnetic field radiation at Chicalim.
However, when the Chicalim villagers questioned the team to give an undertaking that the mobile phone towers would have no effect, the officials refused.
Other queries of the villagers remained unanswered and the officials decided to leave the hall without giving satisfactory reply to the villagers, after which the villagers decided to refuse permission to allow setting up mobile phone towers in their village.
