Monday, October 3, 2011

Cell tower what I saw

The  great support from many circles  inspired me to go into details & contacted local  Councillors, MLA  for the mushrooming of  cell towers in South Kolkata sky leasing in residential buildgs. it  is now a business of agents  & landlords/ Developers  of their personal income from Service providers whatever be the conditions of structures , I started writing to WBPCB , Mayor of Kolkata & Municipal commissioner Under RTI Act giving the locations of Illegal cell tower about their permissions status given by local bodies, the reply started to come , while giving  permission I gathered informations  from   KMC concerned officials like Exe. Engineer CPIO/RTI of  Buildg Dept. that a section of  engineers & staffs are involved in giving quick permissions by ignoring guide lines & structural stability certificate from land lord in exchange of good  cut money, viz - in  my neighborhood in south Kolkata consists of  5 schools, 2 hospitals , health clinics , dense residential populations  - 5 cell tower installed & exists already in low mounted  buildings. in an area of less than 1.5 sq.kilo.mtr .
Again  in 2009 - some time in feb- march- in an old 3-storied residential cum Bank building on Gariahat road - south, found in fine morning  a truck load of aluminium structural members  unloaded , which gradually  lifted to roof  , in my mind I thought this may be some thing for the use of Bank , it did not struck my mind that  a dangerous cell tower was going to install !! there are many adjacent 4 to 5 storied  buildings within a distance 8 to 15 mtrs.& it came up so soon, then one day CESC gave  connection & started to run the Tower , the  Cell Tower  base station was not displayed by any danger signboard by saying  " Danger RF Radiations, do not enter, restricted Area" which are mandatory as per guide lines of Govt. I have a small terrace garden by the site of this cell tower where I daily go to look after my  plants & flowers, since it  was installed I am scared living so close  to the towers afraid to go to my terrace,  'coz.antennas are fixed & looking towards my buildg.  the other neighbors are just observer , no protest made to the  landlord ,  I went to the  close by Schools  where Hd. mistress./ masters, students of morning section & day section all are aware of the harmful effects  of cell tower radition , but not able to protest in black & white  to  the govt. local bodies , like this way  time passed away.
 Again in 2010  in the same buildg. of Gariahat road south another const. started on its staircase roof  by extending old  columns  made 4 sides of its corners, heavy   beams (which load was not calculated or not foreseen 30 yrs. back) made 4 huge RCC padestal  on top of its beams for  4 - huge  Alu. structures Post to come up for another cell tower 18 mtr. High  from Roof level, similar way another tower  came up on the same roof within  fortnight  , power connection  given by CESC & it started to run like the previous one , so the emision of radiation became double , it is happening just before my house of 4 - storied building .
Then  having no option, I thought I must do something in the form of mass protest in democratic way by mass signature campaign from my immediate neighbors , I went then house to house, met people & explained its harmful effects , schools to schools, hospitals,  health clinics ,  residents to  flat owners , got massive support from all , I then handed over  a copy to near by I/C of  Police Station , local councillor , local MLA , MP , made RTI to  WBPCB , Hon'ble Mayor of KMC  , Municipal Commissoiner  , Exe. Engr. KMC Buldg. Deptt. Br. X of ward - 92  for necessary enquiry of such illegal cell Tower , I met personally  mayor of kolkata  in his office & handed over  the  mass petition , while discussing  I gathered that  the Hon'ble Mayor is not much  aware of the health Hazards from Cell phone towers ! & he has been kept  dark  from its illegal   activities by Director General, Buildg. dept. of KMC .
More will be  published   next !

1 comment:

  1. I'm thinking of building next to a cell tower 100 yards distance.Should I be worried? It's a remote spot on top of this
    mountain. Thanks

    ReplyDelete