Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Mar 29: It is found that out of several mobile towers operating in Moodbidri town, the tower standing at Alangar alone has met with all the norms and legal provisions. The other towers are illegal per se, but the town administration has turned a blind eye to these towers. Therefore, revenue running into thousands of rupees, which would have flown into the coffers of the municipality, is being allowed to drain away.

This information was extracted from the details furnished by the municipality in response to application under Rights to Information Act. Several companies have erected mobile towers in Moodbidri, which is growing into a satellite township of Mangalore. Before erecting them, these towers need to obtain the nod of the municipality and comply with specified norms. But the private companies which have established these towers have cared two hoots about this need. They have directly entered into agreements with individual land holders, and set up the towers. Interestingly, the local administration has not objected to these structures, nor has it taken care to augment its income by serving notices and collecting its due, thus suffering a loss of considerable revenue.

Mobile towers stand on several buildings in the town. As the companies which establish these towers pay rental to the owners of the buildings, these owners are required to pay additional taxes to the municipality. But, as per municipal records, no such tax has so far been levied to anyone. This has given rise to two-pronged loss, one in the form of tax on towers, and the other in the form of under-assessment of building tax.

The union government’s department of telecommunications had provided guidelines to states relating to the setting up of mobile towers in August last year. As per them, the companies need to furnish records to the local administration and state government including registration certificate from the department of telecommunications, and licence.

The companies have to furnish details like height, weight, location, number of antennae etc. If the towers are built on buildings, structural stability certificates should be obtained from the structural engineers from Central Building Research Institute/ITI/NIT etc and these certificates should be filed with the local administration. But the companies have not followed any of these procedures so far, in connection with the towers they have built in and around the town.