Call for strict enforcement of telecom tower permissions and safety measures in Coimbatore

Call for strict enforcement of telecom tower permissions and safety measures in Coimbatore

Coimbatore Consumer Cause, a consumer organisation, has urged the District Collector to ensure that permissions for erecting telecom towers comply with the Tamil Nadu Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2022.

Secretary of the organisation, K. Kathirmathiyon, said that under the Policy, permission for telecom infrastructure must be obtained from the District Collector, who acts as the Nodal Officer. The Nodal Officer was solely empowered to issue permissions within their jurisdiction, based on recommendations from other officers under their authority.

He also highlighted that the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019 (section rule 62 regarding Telecommunication Structures), required applicants to submit a structural safety and stability certificate. This certificate must confirm the safety of both the telecom structure and the building on which it would be installed.

He alleged that even with the policy in place, not all telecom service providers were obtaining the required permissions. Additionally, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation officials were unaware of the rules, leading to power connections being provided to telecom towers without necessary approvals.

“Despite the 2022 Government Order, over 100 mobile towers in Coimbatore Corporation limits alone have received electricity connections without approval in the past two years,” Mr. Kathirmathiyon claimed.

He urged the Collector to ensure that all telecom service providers obtained the necessary permissions as per the rules and that these instructions were strictly enforced.

When contacted, Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati said, “We verify all the applications we receive and grant approval only if they meet all the necessary requirements. Moving forward, we will inform all telecom service providers of the need for proper permissions and enforce the rules more strictly.”