Maha govt told to conduct ACB probe into laying of 4G cable

Deputy Chairman of Maharashtra Legislative Council Vasant Davkhare today directed the state government to conduct an inquiry by ACB into the permission given to Reliance Jio Infocomm for laying of the 4G cable network to set up cell towers in neighbouring Thane district.
Davkhare also asked government to establish a committee to conduct a survey to assess if mobile towers which are already in place in Thane pose a threat to the health of residents living in their vicinity.
"I instruct the government to conduct an ACB inquiry into the laying of the Reliance cable network. Also the radiation generated through mobile towers may cause health problems. Thus, committee should conduct a survey into it," Davkhare said.

The question was raised by NCP MLC Niranjan Davkhare who sought to know the reason behind the rise in cost for trenching.
Why the Thane Municipal Corporation permitted trenching to lay the 4G cables by the Reliance initially at Rs 72 per sq ft, but later the cost was increased to Rs 1500 per sq ft, he asked.
The MLC alleged a corruption of Rs 200 crore saying he did not agree with the basic charges.

He said the permission to set up mobile towers should not be given anymore as radiation from them causes heath hazards.
Replying to the question, the minister of state for Home Ranjit Patil said the rate of Rs 72 was initially fixed as per the parameters set up by Thane municipal commissioner.

"While giving permission initially, it was told to the company that rates can be increased. The charges increased to Rs 1500 after receiving complaints about earlier rates and they were also approved by the civic body," Patil said, adding, that Reliance paid Rs 76 crore after the rates were hiked.
The minister said there are 765 towers in Thane and only 18 of them are legal while proposals for setting up 28 towers are pending approval.
"A committee will conduct a survey about the towers within next one month," Patil said.
When contacted, a Reliance Jio Infocomm spokesperson said, "Royalty/RoW/Restoration charges are determined by local authorities/bodies and we have obtained such RoW from competent authorities after paying applicable charges against demand notes raised by the authorities."

He said the company is laying optic fibre network across the country as part of its plans to create a broadband network that is aligned to government's vision of Digital India.