Goa has no facility to monitor mobile tower radiation

Goa has no facility to monitor mobile tower radiation and Term Cell in Nagpur is not bothered about doing monitoring in Goa. On 20th July 2017 it will one year since Goa Government decided to hand over monitoring of mobile tower radiation to Nagpur based Term cell in Maharashtra State of India. On September 09, 2016 letter was sent to term cell in Nagpur. 

However what shocked us now is that inquiries at Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) revealed that they have no information whether Term cell is monitoring or not even though there are several complainants to mobile towers all over Goa with backing of BJP rule in India and Goa. Term cell was meant to intimate the complainant and we are sure this has not been done as we are complaints on three occasions and listed at  GSPCB records shared here.

Radiation from Mobile towers is harmful to every living form including human, animal, birds, plants, crops, reptiles and fish. There are hundreds of scientific studies about the harmful effects of microwave radiation, and also specifically about the effects of mobile towers. E.g. the following sites tell about them and have direct links to the relevant science articles:

https://emfscientist.org/
http://www.disconnectbook.com/
http://microwavenews.com/
http://www.bioinitiative.org/
https://www.emf-portal.org/en

Another very noticeable study is at links below:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006291X15003988

It is however surprising that Goa government is banking upon short term memory of public to avoid monitoring of mobile towers of every service provider including idea, Vodafone and newly entered one - Reliance that went on spree of digging and installing mobile towers during night time all over Goa. Idea and Vodafone have now been merged into one after recent corporate merger.

Radiation affects everyone and its rather bizarre that Goa Government is not at all serious about monitoring of radiation. We are also aware that mobile companies has been funding political parties and that sure is immediate incentive not to raise issue of radiation from mobile towers in Goa. Only one MLA Alina Saldanha has raised public objection in press citing that mobile towers has led to drastic fall in coconut yield and she will not allow any mobile towers to be installed in her Cortalim Constituency. It looks like her resistance has been over ruled and we see mobile towers installed in Cortalim Constituency too. 

That aside, its now a matter of historical record that baring Alina Saldanha no MLA have spoken out against mobile towers in Goa. Another odd man out is former Fatorda MLA Damu Naik who is one of the complainant against mobile towers as you will notice in the list of complainants we share with you here. The list prepared by GSPCB and was given to BMM as are complainant on three occasions in Bambolim-Nauxim area in Tiswadi Taluka of Goa. All together as per documents provided by  GSPCB there are 51 complaints from different parts of Goa against mobile towers.

If Goa cannot afford to monitor radiation from mobile towers then all the mobile towers must be shut down till monitoring facility is put in place. Goa's environment minister cares a damn for radiation concern for Goa. 

We request all the public and public representatives to put this issue on the agenda and initiate action to get strict monitoring of mobile phone towers. Our ancestors lived without mobile towers and radiations for past running into thousands of years but our future generations may not live so in the presence of radiating mobile towers. 

Have a look at the documents below for study and action.

  GSPCB letter dated 12/09/2016 to BMM on mobile towers

GSPCB letter dated 09/09/2016 to term cell in Nagpur, Maharashtra to carry on radiation monitoring in Goa

 Chief Secretary of Goa convened meeting on 20/07/2016 and decided to hand over monitoring of radiation of mobile towers to Term Cell in Nagpur in presence of complainants. 

 Above and below is an inventory of complaints against mobile towers in Goa 

Call for Boycott of Panchayat Elections 2017 in Goa

Panchayat elections in Goa are scheduled to be held on June 11, 2017. We observed that Panchayat powers to decide for the village has been taken away by two recent laws. One law is Goa Investment Promotion Act 2014 passed by Goa Government and second law is The National Waterways Act, 2016 of the Central government.

Goa Investment Promotion Act overrides Panchayats and  powers are taken away, and Panchayats have become Powerless in final decision makings etc. Several Panchayat and municipal areas such as Vanxim-Malar (Capao), Bambolim-Nauxim, Sancoale, Amdoi-Sanguem etc are brought under the ambit of Investment Promotion and facilitation Board (IPB) and declared as Investment Promotion Areas (IPA) e.g. Vanxim in order to facilitate massive land grabs by private corporate interests. Powers of decision making are taken away from the local Panchayats and given to the Secretary (Panchayats) who is always an IAS officer appointed to Goa by the Central Government (Delhi). When Panchayats in Goa are ruled from Delhi for the benefit of private corporate through this law then election to the Panchayats in Goa is a façade and must be boycotted till this law is scrapped.

The National Waterways Act, 2016 has taken control over Goa’s six rivers – Sal, Zuari, Mandovi, Mapusa/Moira, Chapora and Cumbharjua to the Inland Waterways Authority of India based in Gurgaon, Haryana. Its package that along with the rivers that pass through several village Panchayats jurisdiction central government rule extends to all the portions of attached village lands by virtue of Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985. The reason is to get funds for dredging of rivers in Goa damaging fishing while benefiting mining, tourism and gambling involved Corporate. Dredging is known to cause ecological damage from NGT study on MPT dredging of Arabian Sea near Vasco. With Goa’s rivers taken over by Central Government will make fishermen livelihood miserable branding them as trespassers by invoking section 35 (j) of Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985. 

Central Governments’ this decision is against common people of Goa and in collaboration with Goa Government. This is total bulldozing of Panchayat rule and elections to Panchayat in presence of this law over Goa are mockery.

Bharat Mukti Morcha therefore calls for boycott of Panchayat Election in Goa till the above two laws are repealed.

Sd/-

Maggie Silveira, President, Goa Unit

Shocking disappearance of Zuari coast fishermen from WAPCOS EIA to MPT

Date: 28^th April 2017

To,

Member Secretary,

Goa State Pollution Control Board,

Panjim, Goa

Subject: Objections to EIA on redevelopment of berth 8, 9 and Barge berth at MPT

Sir,

This is to bring to your notice that above mentioned Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) has totally ignored existence of fishing villages and fish landing stations on the Zuari river bank. Villages such as Madkai, Aggasaim, Siridao, Bambolim, Nauxim, Cacra, Odxel, Dona Paula and Caranzalem are totally missing in EIA even though they are located within 10 kms radius from MPT site of proposed re-development of berth 8, 9 and Barge berth.

Sir, we have an apprehension that this has been deliberately done by WAPCOS at the instance of MPT.  We strongly oppose the omission fishing villagers and fishermen from the above mentioned EIA. This is a great fraud on the part of MPT and the Government of India on Goa.

We also protest hiding of the key information of this project in the above cited EIA that all this has been done for the benefit of Vedanta owned Goa Sea Port Pvt Ltd. Vedanta Barges are already clashing with fishermen in Zuari and Mandovi, and Goa Fisheries department has served warning letters to several organizations of Fishermen all over Goa at the instance of Vedanta.

This project we apprehend will create a situation where in fishing in Goa’s rivers would be impossible. This situation is very grave considering that simultaneously Government of India has gone ahead and declared six rivers of Goa as National Highways.

Barges and existing shipyards along Goa’s rivers and particularly in Zuari river has already caused extensive damage. We here re-produce an extract from an exclusive interview of past Chairman of MPT Cyril George to Goa based newspaper named Herald on 17/06/2015:

People should also understand that there are so many shipyards not following environmental laws, besides there are barges along the Zuari river bay and each of these barges has created health hazards, environmental hazards besides pollution. These aspects are ignored.

Sir, When the Chairman of MPT itself speaks out the truth of barge transportation in public domain, how can MoEF grant them Environmental Clearance? Further we want to state that the Zuari river bay is within the Jurisdiction of MPT from May 24, 2000 and Chairman Cyril George’s above findings does not figure at all in above draft EIA. EIA does not share any light as to what measures MPT has taken to stop health hazards, environmental hazards and pollution caused by barges from the time its Chairman Cyril George spoke about it in public on 17/06/2015. Central Government issued gazette notification issued by Ministry of Surface Transport (Department of Shipping), (Port Wing) on May 24, 2000 declaring MPT jurisdiction over Zuari river and its coast covering Cacra, Nauxim, Bambolim, Odxel, Dona Paula, Siridao, Sancoale and Cortalim Coast signed by:

“On the East – All the waters of River Zuari, West of Agassaim – Cortalim Ferry (Excluding the ferry and the landing stages)”.

The Gazette of India (Extraordinary), Part II – Section 3 – sub – section (i) signed by K.V.Rao, Jt.Secy

Due to the above glaring fallacies in the EIA itself, EC must be rejected by MoEF. However in case EC is granted by MoEF then it will be further confirmation of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s statement carried widely in various newspapers by PTI on 06/09/2012 that MoEF is a corrupt Ministry and grants EC clearances based on collection of bribes from corporate and turns blind eye to rampant illegalities in Goa.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

       Sd/-

Maggie Silveira

President

Goa Unit

Illegal trawling in Zuari close to Shores of Siridao, Bambolim, Nauxim, Cacra and Odxel

Date: 07/03/2017

To,

Secretary (Fisheries),

Directorate of Fisheries,

Panjim, Goa

To,

Superintendent of Police (Coastal Security),

Panjim, Goa

Subject: Illegal trawling in Zuari close to Shores of Siridao, Bambolim, Nauxim, Cacra and Odxel

Dear Sir,

There has been sudden rise in the incidents of illegal trawler fishing in Zuari river very close to coast of Siridao, Bambolim, Nauxim, Cacra and Odxel.

You are requested to urgently attend to this and remedy the situation. The current system of patrolling from fisheries department as well as Police suffers from serious deficiency and that’s how illegalities in Zuari from Trawlers continue unabated in spite of our telephonic complaints so far.

Your urgent attention is required to restore order in Zuari by totally stopping trawlers from carrying illegal fishing. Our support and co-operation will always be extended to you in whatever manner possible.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

         Sd/-

Maggie Silveira,

President, Goa State

        Sd/-

Sanjay Pereira

Convener, Cacra unit  

         Sd/-

Rohidas Andrade

Convener, Bambolim unit

         Sd/-

Soccoro Braganza

Convener, Siridao Unit

         Sd/-

Anthony Cardozo

Convener, Curca Unit

        Sd/-

Sitaram Pereira

Convener, Odxel Unit

       Sd/-

Milind Palkar

Convener, Nauxi unit

        Sd/-

Chandrakant Lotlikar

Secretary, Siridao Unit

       Sd/-

Hanuman Dias

Co-convenor, Odxel Unit

      Sd/-

Honu Dinkar,

Co-convener, Odxel Unit

       Sd/- 

Deu Kankonkar

Secretary, Nauxi Unit

        Sd/-

Yeshwant Shirodkar,

Co-convener, Odxel Unit

      Sd/-

Manguesh Sawant,

Odxel unit

       Sd/-

Amir Mardolkar,

Co-convener,

Nauxim Unit

      Sd/-

Francis Coelho,

Co-convener,

Nauxim Unit

      Sd/-

Dulba Pereira,

Co-convener,

Cacra Unit

      Sd/-

Santosh Gauns,

Co-convener,

Cacra Unit 

      Sd/-

Sheila D’mello,

Co-convener, Cacra Unit

      Sd/-

Santosh Kukalkar,

Co-convener, Cacra unit

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

Hand shake

My right hand I extend

Awaits you to reciprocate

A friendship in struggle

On the banks of Zuari River

Struggle is on

Battle lines drawn

On one side are fisher people

On the opposite side are trawler owners

On the one side are fisher people

On the opposite hand are Luxury hotels:

Grand Hyatt and Aldeia de Goa.

On the one side are fisher people

On the opposite side are Marinas.

They all battle for land

On the banks of River Zuari

They all battle for space on river water for fishing

They battle technology and echelons of power

How long, how far

The battle is to spark fire?

How wide, how deep

Trawlers are to play havoc with ecology?

How long State is to condone the damage?

The land that hosts Goa University

Tribal people cultivated cucumber, chilies and more

People displaced to build Goa University

People forced to get into fishing.

And now it’s new breaking news:

Marina in Nauxim

Marina in Sancoale

Fishermen from close and far

Sought to be pushed to periphery

Marinas needed to boost high end tourism

Fisher people but pushed to dead end.

Once Goa University kicked out tribal people

And they turned into fishermen of Zuari River.

Now MPT kicks them second time

And they are to turn into burning coal.

Logic of the system pretty simple and clear

Kick everyone who is not a Brahmin

So don’t worry we are still friends

And I extend my hand for a hand shake.

Sebastian Rodrigues