Incompetence in mobile tower radiation emission monitoring in Goa

Date: 7^th February 2018

To,

The Minister of Environment,

Government of Goa, Secretariat,

Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Principal Secretary

(Environment and Forest)

Secretariat, Panjim, Goa

To,

The Member Secretary

The Goa State Pollution Control Board, Panjim, Goa

To,

The Dy. Director General (Term Cell)

2^nd Floor, Khamla Telephone Exchange,

Khamal, Nagpur – 440 025

Subject: Incompetence in mobile tower radiation emission monitoring in Goa

Sirs,

We wish to bring to your attention complete lethargy in installing mobile tower radiation emissions in the State of Goa. As per the letter and its attachments to Bharat Mukti Morcha bearing no.10/1/16-PCB/Tech/1059 dated 12/09/2016 signed by Environmental Engineer of Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) Mr. Sanjeev Joglekar following facts are revealed:

1.      Our two complaints dated 30/07/2015 and 26/11/2015 signed by hundreds of people in Nauxim-Bambolim localities along with several others in Goa has been jointly sent to the Dy. Director General (Term Cell) at 2^nd floor, Khamla Telephone Exchange, Khamal, Nagpur 440025 vide letter dated 09/09/2016 bearing no10/01/16-PCB/Tech/10557 with a request to carry out EMR monitoring at various informed locations. Term Cell was also requested to intimate the board the date and time in advance so that the complainant can remain present during the inspection. In this regard we wish to let you know that so far we as complainant have not received any intimation of inspection by term cell of mobile towers in Bambolim – Nauxim localities. Moreover we wish to let you know that our verbal inquiry at the office of Goa State Pollution Control Board has confirmed that Term Cell has not contacted GSPCB to carry on any inspection of mobile towers in Goa. As a result our complaints have remained unattended for more than two years. And we are aware that mobile tower complaints to GSPCB are from as early as 2012.

2.      The decision to sent Goa Complaints to Term Cell to Nagpur has that of State level Telecom Committee meeting held on 20/07/2016 attended by the Chief Secretary R.K. Srivastava, Levinson Martins, Member –Secretary, Dr. Puttaraju, Chief Town Planner and representative from Department of Urban Development who name is not readable on the minutes copy provided to us. We ask as to why State Level Telecom Monitoring Committee has not followed up on this important matter of Public Health? Why entire population of Goa has been put into risk of radiation emitted from mobile towers?

In the light of the above we call upon you to do the following:

1.      Make all mobile towers in Nauxim – Bambolim locality and all over Goa dysfunctional till regular monitoring mechanism for radiation monitoring is installed in Goa as Term Cell located in Nagpur is not bothered about EMR monitoring in Goa.

2.      Install full fledged radiation monitoring system in Goa with public participation.

3.      In the event of failure to install full fledged radiation monitoring system in Goa stop mobile towers permanently and uproot existing mobile towers.

Kindly do the needful; act swiftly or else this lead to unpredictable irreversible and dangerous consequences to Public Health in Goa.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

Maggie Silveira,

President, Goa State

Sanjay Pereira

Convener, Cacra unit  

Rohidas Andrade

Convener, Bambolim unit

Socorro Braganza

Convener, Siridao Unit

Anthony Cardozo

Convener, Curca Unit

Sitaram Pereira

Convener, Odxel Unit

Milind Palkar

Convener, Nauxi unit

Ms. Kalpana Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Honu Divkar,

Co-convener, Odxel Unit

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Nauxi Unit

Yeshwant Shirvoikar,

Co-convener, Odxel Unit

Manguesh Sawant,

Co-convener, Odxel unit

Amir Mardolkar,

Co-convener, Nauxim Unit

Francis Coelho,

Co-convener, Nauxim Unit

Ms. Jaya Kuttikar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Jonu Shirvoikar,

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ms. Sheila D’mello,

Co-convener, Cacra Unit

Ashok Kukalkar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

Ganashyam Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel

Uttam Martins

C0-convener, Odxel Unit

Rohit Hadkonkar,

Co-convenor, Bambolim Unit

Sanju Diukar

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit,

Chandrakanth Rosario

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Vijay Sawant

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Ragunath Sautodkar

Co-convenor, Cacra Unit

Mahadev Andre Rosario

Co-convenor, Nauxim Unit

Call to uproot all Reliance Jio towers in Goa

Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM), Goa Unit has taken note of disturbing behaviour of corportate entity Reliance Jio involved in installing mobile tower in Navelim, Salcete. BMM extends support and solidarity to People of Navelim and calls for the uprooting of all the mobile towers of Reliance JIO in Goa as they are installed with short circuited permissions from Goa State government without public consultation with affected population. Goa government has no facility to monitor radiation emissions from mobile towers. Reliance owned by Ambanis that own this corporate has acquired gross power over political system of India and that has led to the corroding of nation's soul. Lord Acton said more than century ago "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Reliance mobile towers are for the surveillance ends obsessed by control over public. We reproduce statement dated September 11, 2017 on this issue from Navelim Civic and Consumer Forum in public interest to combat current principle of ruling elites of India: Sab ke Sath Sab ka Vinash, सब के साथ सब का विनाश

: with every one destruction is a must! 

(For Flag icon thanks to Joules Themudo)


Navelim Civic & Consumer Forum condemns the action of Reliance Jio for filing false FIRs against respectable and diligent villagers of Navelim who have time and again objected to illegal digging of roads without proper permissions from Authorities and that too beyond midnight.

Reliance JIO is openly venting out their frustrations to blackmail the villagers, so that the villagers will fear and back out and they can go ahead to install their towers where ever they want. NCCF vehemently condemns the use of Police machinery to intimidate those who oppose the illegal Road digging. Government has banned road digging of any kind and is not allowed till the end of Monsoons. Even those seeking water connections are made to wait.

On the contrary Reliance JIO has trespassed into the tarred Parking Lot for the Rosary Higher Secondary School on many earlier occasions. Recently some Villagers, while returning home at about 1.30 am, noticed some workers digging on the road. When questioned, it was noticed that the workers are from Reliance JIO. They immediately dialed 100 and called the Police. The Police Patrolling Van which reached the site, instead of immediately arresting the Jio workers digging the road in the middle of the night, took the names of the villagers, including those that joined later, selectively. The area where they were digging the road, was just fortnight back tarred and soling was done. 

The blanket license which Jio produces in fact states that Jio has to approach the local bodies for local permission. In addition the statues committee on road digging under District Collector has to give permission and this committee has to monitor and prepare reports every fortnight. No such thing is done. A couple of years ago NCCF had complained against Jio for cutting and damaging a bridge at Aquem-Baixo, but no action was taken. NCCF wonders why this special treatment for Jio.

Recently to a query from Village Panchayat Navelim, the Dy. Town Planners has clarified that if work of installing towers involves concreting, than permission from TCP Dept. is also required. None of this is done by Jio. Also there were no signboards at the site, mentioning the name of the company doing the work nor any safety barricades even though it was done at night time. There was no police bandobast to regulate the traffic at the Junction where there is enough traffic even at night.

NCCF request that the Police do not succumb to political pressure and do justice to the Navelim villagers. If Jio wants to pursue with this false complaint, then the villagers will be compelled to start a campaign to boycott Jio.

Objections to the installation of Mobile Towers at Bambolim and Nauxim

Date: 26^th November 2015

To,

The Principal Secretary (Environment)

Secretariat,

Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Member-Secretary,

Goa State Pollution Control Board,

Panjim, Goa

To,

The Sarpanch,

Curca-Bambolim-Nauxim Panchayat,

Tiswadi, Goa.

Subject: Objections to the installation of Mobile Towers at Bambolim and Nauxim

Dear Madam/Sir,

Bharat Mukti Morcha is shocked to note inaction of Goa State Pollution Control Board and Bambolim Panchayat on the complaints against mobile towers in Bambolim and Nauxim villages at Adea de Goa premises. Mobile towers are threat to public health due to radiation. Even though people of Bambolim are subjected to radiation due to these mobile towers local Panchayat has disclosed that these mobile towers have the approval from Goa State Pollution Control Board and hence Bambolim Panchayat has given its permissions. In a letter dated 02/11/2015 to Rohidas Andrade and other of Bharat Mukti Morcha Bambolim Sarpanch Maria Leena Da Cunha has shared that permission for the mobile tower is as per the approval from the Goa State Pollution Control Board. This means just Goa State Pollution Control Board has approved radiation emanating from mobile towers and it is alright that local people be subjected to public health risks. Ridiculous. 

Officials and their family members at Goa State Pollution Control Board are not affected by radiation from these mobile towers in Bambolim-Nauxim villages as their office is located at safe distance in Panjim and it is not expected that they should be bothered about public health of Bambolim and surrounding villages considering that influence of real estate and tourism lobby, and this is no longer a secret. Other wise NOC for two mobile towers in Bambolim and Nauxim would have been revoked the moment objections to it are filed by Bharat Mukti Morcha.

Instead we have noted that one more mobile tower has been installed in Bambolim at survey number 96 on the night of 19^th November 2015. We object this mobile tower too.

We have also witnessed installation of Ground Based Mast (GBM) to provide 4 G broadband services by Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited adjacent to NH 17 in front of Goa Medical College. So all together there are four mobile towers in the jurisdiction of Bambolim Panchayat that are major threats to public health with radiation threats. We call upon your office to take immediately revoke permissions to these mobile towers.  

So far our experience is not pleasant there are signs of state of administrative paralysis in the functioning of Goa State Pollution Control Board. It is limping due to influence of money bags and power of the corporate lobbies such as Reliance, Aldeia de Goa and Hotel Grand Hyatt. Bambolim Panchayat must not follow the example of Goa State Pollution Control Board and get itself geared pro-actively to change the situation and notify every level of environment ministry of Goa to act and get the permissions to mobile towers revoked and lodge protests.

Bharat Mukti Morcha calls upon Principal Secretary (Environment) to intervene and get all the approvals to mobile towers in Bambolim – Nauxim Panchayat jurisdiction revoked immediately.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Maggie Silveira

President,

Goa State Unit

Sanjay Pereira

Convener,

Cacra unit

Rohidas Andrade

Convener,

Bambolim unit

Soccoro Braganza

Convener,

Siridao Unit

Anthony Cardozo

Convener,

Curca Unit

Sitaram Pereira

Convener,

Odxel Unit

Milind Palkar

Convener,

Nauxi unit

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Siridao Unit

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor

Odxel Unit

Honu Dinkar,

Co-convener,

Odxel Unit

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary,

Nauxi Unit

Bikaro Dias

Co-convener,

Odxel Unit

Yeshwant Shirodkar,

Co-convener,

Odxel Unit

Manguesh Sawant,

Co-convener,

Odxel unit

Amir Mardolkar,

Co-convener,

Nauxim Unit

Francis Coelho,

Co-convener,

Nauxim Unit

Dulba Pereira,

Co-convener,

Cacra Unit

Santosh Gauns,

Co-convener,

Cacra Unit

Sheila D’mello,

Co-convener

Cacra Unit

Santosh Kukalkar,

Co-convener

Cacra unit

Objection to stationing of mobile towers on truck at Bambolim and Nauxim belt at Hotels Grand Hyatt and Aldeia de Goa due to radiation hazards to villagers

Date: 9^th June  2015

To,

Minister of Environment and Forest,

Government of Goa,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Principal Secretary (Environment)

Government of Goa,

Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa

To,

The Member-Secretary,

Goa State Pollution Control Board

Panajim, Goa

To,

Vishnu Surya Wagh,

Member of Legislative Assembly,

St.Andre Constituency, Tiswadi

To,

The Collector (North Goa),

Panjim, Goa

To,

The Sarpanch,

Curca-Bambolim-Telaulim-Nauxim Panchayat, Tiswadi, Goa

Subject: - Objection to stationing of mobile towers on truck at Bambolim and Nauxim belt at Hotels Grand Hyatt and Aldeia de Goa due to radiation hazards to villagers nearby

Dear Madam/ Sir

We write to you to object stationing of two mobile towers at Bambolim-Nauxim belt at Hotels Grand Hyatt and Aldeia de Goa on trucks. It is a well established fact that mobile towers are a source of nuclear radiation hence we urge your immediate intervention to direct both Hotel Grand Hyatt as well as Hotel Aldeia de Goa to dismantle the said mobile towers immediately as the health of the surrounding villagers are exposed to nuclear radiation.

We understand that local Panchayat of Bambolim refused permission to install these mobile towers on ground and over ruling the Panchayat Hotel Grand Hyatt and Hotel Aldeia de Goa has placed mobile towers on top of trucks. 

Moreover Hotel Grand Hyatt being illegal creating such havoc for the common people is not tolerable any more.

This must be stopped immediately as it is radiation hindrance to the people living in this very area. 

 

Your positive and prompt action is expected at the earliest,

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

         Sd/-

Maggie Silveira

President, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Goa State

         Sd/-

Sanjay Pereira

Convener, Bharat Mutkti Morcha,

Cacra unit

         Sd/-

Rohidas Andrade

Convener, Bharat Mukti Morcha, 

Bambolim unit

         

          Sd/-

Soccoro Braganza

Convener, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Siridao Unit

        Sd/-

Anthony Cardozo

Convener, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Curca Unit

         Sd/-

Sitaram Pereira

Convener, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Odxel Unit

        Sd/-

Milind Palkar

Convener, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Nauxi unit

          Sd/-

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Siridao Unit

         

         Sd/-

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Nauxi Unit

        Sd/-

Jeronio D’Souza,

Secretary, Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Siridao Unit