The Indian Express               28.06.2013

PMC to pull down mobile phone towers near schools, hospitals

Under attack for failure to keep a check on increasing number of
mobile towers in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)
administration on Thursday announced that it would start pulling them
down. The PMC will pull down the towers close to schools and hospitals
as a part of its drive to make the mobile companies fall in line on the
regulations for setting up towers.

Raising the issue of mobile towers being illegally set up
in large numbers, Congress corporator Sunanda Gadale alleged failure in
the duty of the civic staff and urged them to keep a check on illegal
towers.

In a written reply, the PMC property tax department informed that it
was charging tax on 1,040 mobile towers which includes 711 legal and 329
illegal mobile towers. The civic administration further informed that
it expected a revenue of Rs 53.29 crore from the property tax on mobile
towers which includes Rs 30.87 crore of the pending dues with the mobile
service providers.

Pointing out the restrictions in government policy for
setting up mobile towers, Gadale asked whether the PMC was following
proper regulations while giving permission for mobile towers.

Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak said the civic
administration would take up a drive to get rid of mobile towers close
to schools and hospitals.

Congress corporator Avinash Bagawe challenged the civic
administration data on number of mobile towers. He said mobile towers
need power supply and 3,025 electrical meters were installed by MSEDCL
for mobile towers. “The power utility informed that at least two
connections are provided from one electric meter. Thus, there are at
least 6,000 mobile towers in the city,” said Bagawe.

Similarly, the police has the IP address of each mobile
towers and the list is more than the figure being quoted by civic
administration, he said adding the failure of civic administration to
keep tabs is leading to loss of revenue.