Xeldem locals say no to mobile tower

Johnny M
Quepem: Residents of Kakumoddi, Xeldem, protested the installation of an allegedly illegal mobile tower by a motor company, Goa Rajee, on the second floor of its showroom at Kakumoddi.
More than 314 residents of Kakumoddi have written to the Xeldem panchayat about the mobile tower without a panchayat license on the newly-constructed building on the main Quepem-Curchorem road.“This is a clear-cut violation of laws, rules and regulations laid down by government authorities,” said Bonnyfred D’Souza, one of the signatories to the complaint.
The residents have demanded that the panchayat immediately demolish the tower failing which they threatened to launch a mass agitation.
Xeldem panchayat has not issued any licence or a no-objection certificate to the installation of the mobile tower, said sources. They added that the owners of Goa Rajee had applied for a licence to operate the tower only after the installation of the tower, sources said.
When asked why the panchayat has not initiated action against the owner of the tower when locals had already objected to it during the gram sabha held on May 10, sarpanch Pramod Dessai said, “Panchayat will send a notice to the owner to demolish the tower but due to the absence of the secretary who went on leave for 10 days, the panchayat was not able to send it yet.”
Sources said that the secretary went on leave only 12 days after opposition to the tower came up at the gram sabha on May 10. Locals questioned why the panchayat was mum on the issue.
During the gram sabha meeting on May 10, Benson Fernandes, a local resident, had raised the issue of the illegal tower installed in the densely-populated area and demanded to know whether the panchayat has received any paperwork from the owner.
Dessai said that the panchayat had received the file much before the gram sabha meeting but had not gone through it. While raising his objection to the tower during the gram sabha meeting, Fernandes requested the panchayat not to grant any permission to it.
Residents of Kakumoddi, in their complaint, said that usually, cellphone towers are installed on mountains, hilltops and away from residential areas. “ It is indeed surprising to see that the tower is in the midst of human dwellings with no concern for humanity and at the cost of people’s lives. This is giving the people of the area slow poison,” said a local, Hipolito Sequeira.
Residents brought to the notice of the panchayat that the Delhi high court in 2013 issued notices to the central government and other relevant bodies to remove the cellphone towers from residential areas as they are dangerous to human life.
Elaborating on the health hazards posed due to cellphone towers, residents pointed out that they can cause diseases like birth defects, cancer, cardiovascular problems, genetic damage, risk to the human brain, skin problems, depression, hearing loss and other health complications which may show even during the later years.
Local panch Maria Fernandes, who is also opposing the tower along with the Kakumoddi residents, said that she was surprised at the illegal tower being installed in her ward without her knowledge and without a panchayat licence. “ I will not allow any illegalities in my ward and will support the residents till the panchayat demolishes it,” said Fernandes. Locals of Kakumoddi also submitted their complaint to the deputy collector of Quepem, Goa state pollution control board, telecommunication department and Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral.