4G towers plan in parks to stay

The ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance on Friday rejected the Opposition’s demand to not allow 4G mobile towers at gardens and grounds in the city. Despite fervent protests from citizens, the 4G mobile towers will continue to be installed at open spaces.

Taking strong objection to this, citizen activists have vowed to continue their fight against the installation of 4G mobile towers at open spaces. Instead of gardens, the mobile towers should be installed at ministers’ bungalows, they have said.

The civic body has allowed Reliance Jio Infocomm, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, to set up 4G mobile towers at more than 1,160 gardens and grounds in the city. However, at several places, local residents have strongly opposed the installation, even to the extent of halting its work forcefully.

The proposal allowing Reliance Jio Infocomm to set up 4G towers in the city was approved by the BMC general body last year on August 27. Suggesting amendment in it, Congress corporator Asif Zakaria demanded that municipal recreational and playing grounds be excluded from the proposal.

However, it was turned down by the ruling Sena-BJP on the basis of majority in the civic house. Protesting this, the Opposition members staged a walkout from the house.

Mr Zakaria said, “There is a lot of opposition from local residents to set up 4G towers at open spaces. Considering this, I had proposed to exclude these places from the installation.

“But, the Sena-BJP alliance has rejected the demand just to favour Reliance. Ironically, a few months back, the same BJP was protesting the move to install 4G towers at open spaces.”

However, BJP group leader Manoj Kotak blamed the Opposition, saying they were adopting double standard on the mobile towers issue.

“When the proposal was passed last year, all Opposition parties including the Congress had kept mum. It was the erstwhile Congress government, which had allowed the installation of 4G mobile towers at open spaces. Now that the BJP is in power, they are trying to politicise the matter.”

Citizen activists have reacted angrily over the development. Bandra activist and AGNI trustee Shyama Kulkarni said, “How can they act against people’s wishes If they want to install mobile towers, they should do it at minister’s bungalows instead of public grounds.

“We have got 10,000 signatures of citizens voicing their opposition to 4G towers at open spaces. The AGNI and NAGAR have also approached the court on this issue.”