Lok Sabha Question No. 229 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-16
Subject: NOC to Telecom Towards and Line
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: AJAY (TENI) MISRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.229 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  NOVEMBER, 2016

## TELECOM TOWERS AND LINE  IN FOREST AREA

†229. SHRI AJAY MISRA TENI:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the work related to the installation of new mobile towers and laying of new telecom lines is getting hampered in the forest areas due to the objections raised by the Forest Department;
- (b) if so, the details thereof particularly in the bordering areas of Nepal;
- (c) the action taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d) the measures taken to set up new towers and enhance connectivity along the Indo-Nepal border particularly in Uttar Pradesh?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) & (b) Madam,  One  case  has  been  reported  by  M/s  Indus  Tower  in  the Thrissur district  of  Kerala  state  wherein  the  permission for  installation  of  tower  was not granted by the Forest department. Besides, in 59 cases grant of permission ARE pending with the Forest department for installation of mobile towers and laying of new telecom  lines,  although  no  objection  has  been  raised  yet  in  grant  of  permission  in these cases. However, no case has been reported by any of the TSPs wherein the works related to the installation of new mobile towers and laying of new telecom lines are  getting  hampered  in  the  forest  areas  in  the  bordering  areas  of  Nepal  due  to objections raised by Forest Department during last three years i.e. 2013 to 2015 and current year i.e. 2016 (upto 30.09.2016).

The  above  mentioned  case  where  objection  have  been  raised  in  granting permission relates to construction of a Ground Based Tower (GBT) at Thekumkara GP  in  Thrissur  District  by  M/s  Indus  Tower.  The  permission  was  withheld  by  the Forest Department stating that the tower is within 500m from reserve forest and also a  tower  of  M/s  BSNL  exists  within  1  KM  of  the  proposed  tower.  Further,  it  was mentioned that as per advisory issued by Forest Department, new tower should not be permitted within 1 Km of existing towers and therefore permission was not granted for new Mobile Tower.

(c) Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) follow up with concerned Forest Department  authorities  in  respective  Licensed  Service  Areas  (LSA)  for  getting  the requisite  permission  for  installation  of  mobile  towers  and  laying  of  telecom  lines  in forest areas. However, when cases are reported to Telecom Enforcement, Resource & Monitoring (TERM) Cells, they take appropriate necessary action such as clarifying the concerned forest authorities about the Advisory Guidelines issued by Department of Telecommunication (DoT) for installation of mobile towers.

In the case as mentioned above where objection have been raised in granting permission, the matter was taken up in the District Level Telecom Committee (DTC) meeting of Thrissur and TERM Cell Kerala clarified that Advisory  Guidelines issued by DoT for installation of new mobile towers place no such restriction and tower may be permitted.

(d) In  order  to  strengthen  mobile  connectivity  in  areas  close  to  the  Indo-Nepal international border, TSPs are conducting regular drive test to optimize the coverage of  sites  to  ensure  proper  coverage/connectivity.  However,  it  is  ensured  that  radio signals  fade  out  when  nearing  or  about  to  cross  international  border  and  become unusable within a reasonable distance across international border. Further, M/s BSNL is also planning to add new sites near Indo-Nepal International border under Central Arms Police Force (CAPF) project.

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