NT NETWORK
NAVELIM
Amidst opposition to setting up of mobile towers in various villages, the Salcete BDO has dashed notices to 11 Salcete panchayats and seven panchayats in Mormugao taluka asking the panchayat bodies to call for extra-ordinary gram sabhas to get approvals for installing 61 mobile towers ahead of the forthcoming BRICS Summit.
The gram sabhas are slated to be held on September 11.
As per information available, Salcete BDO, who is also the nodal officer for the BRICS Summit, has dashed notices to village panchayats of Benaulim, Carmona, Cavelossim, Colva, Orlim, Betalbatim, Varca, Navelim, Assolna, Velim and Majorda.
A total of 41 towers have been proposed in these villages with panchayat of Benaulim having nine proposed cell sites.
The village panchayat of Carmona, which has been in the news over protests against installation of an alleged illegal mobile tower opposite the village panchayat, has a total of five proposed towers.
Villages of Cavelossim, Colva too have five towers each proposed to be set up ahead of the BRICS Summit. While it has also been proposed to set up four towers in Orlim, three each in Betalbatim and Varca, while two towers have been proposed in Navelim and Assolna, and a tower each in Velim and Majorda.
On the other hand, a total of 20 towers has been proposed to be set up in villages of Chicalim, Sancoale, Bogmalo, Nagao, Verna, Velsao and Arrossim.
The notices further state that the gram sabhas will be attended by members of COAI, Goa state pollution control board and telecom operators.
Reacting to it, Navelim sarpanch Frank Fernandes said the villagers had categorically passed a resolution saying no to new mobile towers and that only existing towers were to be upgraded. Now they will have to take a call to decide the fate of the two proposed towers, he said.
A panchayat secretary, requesting anonymity, said that given the present situation it looks very difficult to convince the public to grant approval for towers, however, “We will have to wait and see.”