From 27 to 29 August 2024 I had unique opportunity to participate and represent NPSSFW in Commons Convening 2024. The meet was re-inforcing Ostromian idea on Commons. People from various parts of India - around 500 - participated in the three day event at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
I did participate in number of sessions and interevined on the issues connected to water and fishing as that being my priority areas of interest.
There was however one intervention that I made that was departure from conventional notions of Commons. I stressed on Air as Commons in the light of various threats to air from variety of polluting sources. There was just one mention of Air as Commons in the first plenary session and that was from Jisudan Disari of Koraput, Odisha who is resisting bauxite mining.
The question I raised at a session on media: there is lots of emphasis on Water, Forest and Land ( Jal, Jungle, Jameen) as aspects of Commons, and no focus on air as common, why is it so? I work with fishing communities in Goa and in 2014 fishing communities led by Rohidas Andrade on the banks of Zuari river at Bambolim carried on early-dawn interception of cellular tower insertion in the village. They feared that mobile tower radiation might affect the health of people adversely in long term. They passed on me the documents they procured from the private company to study. That got me into new dimension of involvement: cellular radiation.
Ever since this incident Public health concerns expressed by public health gradually increased. Several places in Goa witnessed resistance to cellar radiation. Mobile tower at Kurdiwada, Kandola belonging to Reliance was uprooted after complaints to the authorities like Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in 2019. Eversince that momentous victory to people and setback to cellular empire Goa Government moved to axe out GSPCB from Jurisdiction over cellular radiation. This is clear sign of cellular short-circuit of public accountability.
On February 08, 2024 meeting of North Goa Distric level Telecom Committee chaired by the Magistrate and Collector (North Goa) Sneha Gitte every public deposition included public health concern raised; from Guirim, Cumbharjua, Siridao, Morlem, Naveli- Divar.
Internationally September 07 is observed as day against air pollution and Goa Government has remained oblivious to the threat of radiation transmissions through air causing damage to various life forms. In fact Goa's Telecom and infrastructure policy 2020 and subsequent ammendments are brutal: it stripped off GSPCB out of Jurisdiction over mobile tower complaints. Needless to say that Goa Government has been taken over by vested interests connected to cellular industry that are all out to strengthen digitality at the cost of Public Health in Goa. This is indeed unfortunate development and needs to be resisted strongly.
Air as Commons needs to be asserted powerfully. Even radiation is invisible to plain eye increasing publishing of scientific study world wide points out to dangerous consequences of cellular radiation. What is promoted as convenience has surreptiosly transformed into Public Health nightmare. Several deaths are already reported of people in houses close to the mobile tower installations in Goa and are even identified by medical doctors.
Yes authorities in Goa are masked with deafening silence of this menace. Mobile towers are being installed even closer to schools where children study. Kudos to vigilant parents at Morlem Colony at Sattari for speaking out on the subject inspite of all the Rane might. Similarly deep appreciation to several people raising their voices in South Goa - Curtorim, Navelim and more even though South Goa Distric Telecom Committee has been kept in paralyzed state to let mushrooming of cellular towers and stifling of dissenting voices.
Media too needs to be pro-active in investigating cellular radiation in Goa and beyond intercepting public authorities on regular bases.
Silence is certainly dangerous in this situation as is destined to cause death of air as Commons. We must rise up now in defence of air or else life might perpetuate with deformed heir.
This cellular nightmare of Goa in being perpetuated by Government of India who annexed Goa through conquest in 1961 following Soviet Veto at UN security Council. This act supplied Indian IAS officers like Sneha Gitte to comment as irresponsible as she did on February 08, 2024 "My house is surrounded by three mobile towers and am healthy!" This is the state of affairs of Goa post 1961 conquest that we a are brainwashed to believe as Liberation. I had suggested weekly monitoring of studies on cellular radiation globally to take precautionary measure. The suggestion has not even found its way in the minutes but has been picked up by birds in the air who fear for their lives even though they have no vote, no money. Cruel mockery is being played upon. Daylight dacoity is being waged on our Public Health, On fate of every life form. This is India of our times. Cry my beloved, sorrowing lies my land, amidst the proliferating cellular lies.
Sebastian Rodrigues
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