Flat owners and tenants of Shradha Residency on Sampige Road of Visvesvaraya Nagar here have complained to district in-charge Minister Ramesh L. Jarkiholi against Suresh C. Angadi, MP, the owner of the apartment, for allowing installation of a transmitter/receiver tower of a private mobile phone service provider on the premises against their consent. In a memorandum addressed to Mr. Jarkiholi, the owners and tenants said that of the 36 flats in the apartment, only a few could be sold over 10 years ago. Thereafter, Mr. Angadi sold 20 flats to the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences for high prices. Though Mr. Angadi promised several facilities such as swimming pool and gymnasium while selling the flats, they remained unfulfilled, they said. Now, Mr. Angadi had allowed installation of a mobile phone tower which posed a threat to their health. The building starts vibrating every time the generator was switched on.
Noise pollution
Added to this was the noise and air pollution from the generator set. Four more flats were constructed in common spaces of the apartment without proper permission, they alleged. The residents in and around Sampige Road were also opposed to the installation of the tower in what was a residential locality.
They alleged that Mr.Angadi’s intention was to harass the flat owners to surrender the flats back to him at the old prices prevailing in 2005 so that he could re-sell them for much higher sums.
Mr. Angadi said, “All the flat owners and tenants do not have problems in using their cellphones connected with towers on someone else’s building. Let them first give me in writing that they will not use cellphones as long as they stay in my apartment, I will immediately remove the tower. Also, they should first keep their flats and premises clean.” The MP also said that he had no intention to harass the flat owners.
