High Court questions safety norms on installation of mobile towers

Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 26

The Punjab and Haryana HC today questioned the safety guidelines issued by Punjab on the installation of mobile towers in residential areas. The Bench of Justice Rajan Gupta and Justice Karamjit Singh asserted it was still unclear whether the guidelines had the force of law and were being followed in letter and spirit in the entire state.

The Bench also asked the state counsel to inform the court on the next date of hearing whether action had been taken against any person under the guidelines. As the case came up for resumed hearing before the Bench, senior advocate Chetan Mittal on behalf of one of the parties referred to the guidelines dated December 22, 2020. He submitted that all safeguards had been incorporated in the guidelines.

Faced with the court’s observations on the potency and implementation of the guidelines, the state counsel prayed for additional time to seek instructions on the issues. Taking a note of the submissions, the Bench fixed the case for further hearing in April first week.

The directions came on a petition filed by Simarjeet Singh. Holding that the larger question before the court was regarding the installation of towers on residential building, the Bench on a previous date of hearing had stayed the installation of towers atop the residential buildings in the state after holding that its slapdash setting up may put the lives and properties of the people in danger.