Residents demand removal of cell towers

Residents demand removal of cell towers

Ranjana Diggikar, TNN | Nov 20, 2013, 05.26 AM IST

AURANGABAD: Citing health hazards, women in Indiranagar, Waluj, have joined hands to oppose the installation of a mobile tower on a residential building in the densely populated area.Indiranagar is the part of Bajajnagar area comprising over 80,000 people, next to the Waluj MIDC. The women said in spite of opposition and even a notice issued by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) officials, the work on installation is continuing.

On a November 11, a group of around 200 women and 100 men had approached the MIDC office protesting the installation of a mobile tower on a residential building. The officials served notices to altogether nine building owners, for allowing installation of mobile towers without seeking legal permission.

Executive engineer Rajendra Gawde said, "We have served notices to not only the plot owner of Indiranagar for illegal installation of mobile tower but the MIDC has also identified eight more such illegal mobile towers in residential areas and has served notices to them strictly ordering them to remove the tower. If the owners fail to do so the officials would seize the material soon."

He said that the MIDC officials are also identifying illegal mobile towers in the industrial area.

However, the women alleged that the work of mobile tower installation is still in progress. "The work is progressing in night hours," said Usha Hande, resident of Indiranagar.

Suvarna Koli, another resident, said, "The exposure to radiations is likely to cause various ailments including cancer, fatigue, sleep disturbance, dizziness, loss of mental attention, headache, malaise and heart palpitation."

Resident Sujata Patil said, "The radiation is very harmful to old people, pregnant women and children and also causes impotency, cataract and heart diseases and affects kidney. The radiation could lead to blood brain barrier, irreversible infertility and neuro degenerative diseases."

Hande said, "We had earlier requested the property owner to not allow installation of the mobile tower, but to no avail."

"Politicians and the administration have turned a blind eye to the installations," alleged resident Meena Jagdale.

Sangita Shingare, Teejasvini Tavle and Ujwala Singare said, "We would intensify our agitation by staging hunger strike and also would complain to higher authorities of the MIDC."

Meanwhile, Gawde appealed to the property owners that they should not indulge in such illegal activities and take necessary approval or no objection certificate (NOC) from the administration before installing mobile towers.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/aurangabad/Residents-demand-removal-of-cell-towers/articleshow/26065554.cms