Locals say ‘no’ to mobile tower near Gir sanctuary

02/12/2016
Locals say 'no' to mobile tower near Gir sanctuary
The Times of India City
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Locals-say-no-to-mobile-tower-near-Gir-sanctuary/articleshow/55735776.cms

AHMEDABAD: Agitated at the setting up of a mobile tower on the outskirts of Gir Sancturary, local residents from Sasan are planning to approach the collector and make representations.

The residents have already made a representation before the mamlatdar at Mendarda but failing to get the desired response, they have decided to march to the collectorate in Junagadh to make their representation.

Salim Baloch, a resident who is leading the movement against setting up of the tower, said that the tower is adjacent to the boundary of the sanctuary. The forest department had sanctioned the tower once it had sent a proposal earmarking the eco-sensitive zone in the area.

According to the eco-sensitive zone notification, no such tower can be set up as it can affect birds in the area. The radiation from the tower will impact the birds. A study has revealed that sparrows in the cities have all but disappeared because of radiation from mobile towers, said Baloch.

 

Fakirmohammed Noormohammed, another resident of Sasan, said that if a villager wants to increase the floor of his house, the forest department and the panchayat refused permission citing eco-sensitive zone was not cleared, and hence no new permission can be given.

But in this case, all the rules were disregarded. The panchayat and the forest department gave permission to set up the tower on government waste land, he said.

He demanded that the tower should be dismantled immediately or the residents would launch a stir.

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