Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision to allow the installation of 4G Cell Towers in parks, playgrounds and open areas in a city starved of space has met with angry opposition from citizen groups and activists.
“By allowing erection of such towers on ‘non-buildable’ spaces, the door has been opened even wider to grave health risks from the base station antenna emanation. Schoolchildren, college-going adults, the elderly and infirm whose health most deserves protection will now be at risk,” says a resolution passed by four citizen groups.
In a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, they have indicated the concerns raised in their resolution to protest the use of the only open spaces left for the people of this city. Nagar, AGNI, WECOM Trust and Shivaji Park Abhiyan have urged the Maharashtra government to withdraw the permission for installing 4 G Cell Towers.
These installations will further cut down open spaces, which are now a dismal 1.24 sqm per person in Greater Mumbai against the 10-12 sqm that is the building guideline accepted by the centre, said Nayana Kathpalia, Convenor of Citispace and spokesperson of NGO alliance, Nagar. Speaking at a press conference at the Press Club on Tuesday evening, she said that the notification by the Urban Development Department, Government of Maharashtra, under 37 (1AA) of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, 1966, allows modification of any part of or proposal made in a development plan (DP) if it is an urgent requirement and will not change the character of the DP.
“In the present case there is no urgent requirement for installation of towers and it clearly changes the character of spaces reserved for recreation and playgrounds,” she said.
The permission granted by the BMC to Reliance Jio to erect towers has already resulted in protests by residents of Tilak Nagar who have condemned this move and are ready to go to court if the towers are erected. Four other telecom companies are also keen to set up towers in city’s few gardens and open spaces. Reliance Jio is reported to have sought permission for 3,600 towers, but now these companies have started work with 5,000 4G towers in 1,365 gardens.
It is felt that these companies want the easy way out as they are not inclined to spend to buy space commercially.
The Press Club itself has received calls and petitions for many journalists and local citizen groups to discuss the matter in all seriousness, said its representative. A local member of parliament has filed an First Information Report claiming 1,300 open spaces, grounds and public hospitals are under threat of encroachment.
