‘Strict Laws to be Enforced for Setting Up Mobile/TV Towers’- Minister U T Khader

‘Strict Laws to be Enforced for Setting Up Mobile/TV Towers’- Minister U T Khader

Mangaluru: Mobile and TV frequency Towers installers are in serious trouble, since the state government yesterday had passed an ordinance with certain rules and regulations while setting up mobile/TV frequency Towers in the City. If you look around the City, there are quite few of these towers set up on top of the hospitals, educational institutions or areas close to bus stand, schools/colleges, religious institutions etc. But now with the new rules and regulations drafted by the state government yesterday, TV and Mobile companies have to abide with the new rules or face the consequences.

Addressing the media persons during a press meet held on ‘Eid Milad” day at the Circuit House Mangaluru, District in-Charge Minister U T Khader said, ” On Monday, 19 November 2018, the State government has drafted a new mobile tower policy to control radiation effect on human health and animal habitat. The new policy will spell out guidelines for installing mobile towers in urban areas and will restrict erecting them in residential areas and on school premises. Radiation from mobile towers is seriously detrimental to health. We have noted that Mobile phone companies have been erecting mobile towers at strategic places to get signals to mobile phones. The policy was approved in the cabinet after discussing the issue with Bengaluru Development Minister G. Parameshwara”.

” The government wants to be a model for the entire country, may prevent the installation of frequency towers close to educational institutions and thickly populated areas. The new law will direct to remove the existing ones which are causing threat to the people nearby. Buildings that will allow towers to be erected on it will have to mention the same in the building plan at the time of construction besides making the structure fit to take the load. Even the existing buildings will have to make necessary changes in their building plans if they wish to have towers. Presently, the towers are being installed without even checking the strength of the building foundation” added U TY Khader.

He further said, “In the absence of a clear-cut policy currently, some take permission from the urban and rural local bodies for installation of towers, while others don’t. No department has data about the number of towers. But not any more. The law drafted by our state govt yesterday is first of its kind in India. First and foremost the every tower installer has to be registered. Rs 1 Lakh has to be paid to BBMP, and for City Corporation like Mangaluru, it is Rs 50,000, for City Municipalities it is Rs 35,000; and for Town Panchayat it is Rs 25,000. And every year when property tax is paid by the owner of the building or property, the tower owners have also to pay the required taxes”.

“Frequency towers should be erected 50 mts away from schools, religious institutions, bus stands, hospitals, where large number of people gather, parks etc. The installer should see that the frequency radiation are not affected by the citizens around it. A redressal committee has been formed to look into this issue. For those who have already set up their towers in the restricted places announced by the govt, have three months time to relocate them, or if they fail to do so, their licence will be cancelled, and also be fined heavily. It has been noted that in many cities these frequency towers near to residential and other areas were people assemble, have resulted in cancer disease in people. Before erecting the towers, the structural engineer has to approve the plan. The new rules and regulations will come into force soon, and this decision to enforce these rules was taken after many complaints from NGO’s and citizens ” said Minister Khader.

He also mentioned that the project plan of constructing a new Kankanady Market with Commercial complex put forth by MCC and local area corporator has been approved, with a proposed budget of Rs 41 crore- of which 50% will be borne by KUDC and the remaining by MCC.