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Citizens vow to fight Maharashtra government for allowing 4G towers in open spaces

Eminent citizens and activists from the city have resolved to take up the fight against the government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allowing installation of 4G mobile towers in open spaces, gardens and playgrounds.

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Prakash Munshi, convenor of Citizens Groups of Mumbai, retired HC judge S Radhakrishnan and Nayna Kathpalia, convenor of Citispace and spokesperson for NAGAR, at the Press Club on Tuesday
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Eminent citizens and activists from the city have resolved to take up the fight against the government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allowing installation of 4G mobile towers in open spaces, gardens and playgrounds. The government has given permission to the mobile company by invoking the special power under Act 37-1A(a), which is applied in emergency situations.

Why can't companies buy commercial space for towers?
On Tuesday, Press Club of Mumbai organised a media discussion on the issue. Activists pointed out that while radiation-linked health hazard was there, the more important issue was that citizens were losing their open space. They insisted that if companies wanted to put up towers, they buy commercial space for the purpose.

Nayna Khatpalia, convenor of Citispace and spokesperson for NAGAR, PK Das, coordinator for Nivara Hakk, who has mapped Mumbai's open spaces, justice S Radhakrishnan, retired judge of the Bombay high court, Prakash Munshi, convenor of Citizens Groups of Mumbai, and P Ramakrishna, on behalf of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) participated in the discussion.

Why should people come forward to take legal recourse?
"The open spaces, gardens and playgrounds belong to the people... For that matter, even mountains, rivers and forests belong to the people under the law of "public trust doctrine". The government cannot arbitrarily decide on such subjects without keeping people in mind. People should come forward to take legal action," said justice Radhakrishnan. "Mumbai is the worst. While all the leading developing countruies which state government tries to imitate when it comes to development has far better ratio of open spaces, Mumbai is struggling to even come near 50 per cent of the international standards.

Is there any other alternative to legal action?
Yes, according to Das, Kathpalia and Shyama Kulkarni of AGNI. They appealed to Mumbaikars to come forward and protest in their individual areas. Until now, NAGAR and AGNI together have collected 6,500 signatures from people to register their protest against the towers in open spaces.
"Is installing 4G towers in open spaces, without taking into consideration citizens' opinion, an emergency situation? How will the state government explain this," asked Kathpalia, trustee of NAGAR, a citizens' body.

Is absence of evidence proof of no health hazard?
Munshi said mobile companies were trying to make their point by claiming that radiation from mobile towers was not a health hazard since there was no proof. "But no proof does not mean it will not be hazardous to health. Companies put up towers in the name of boosters and government agencies turn a blind eye. How far can the government go to shield corporate giants, " asked Munshi.

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