Frequent Sholay-like protests, with people climbing on to precariously tall telecom towers in Kevadia and Garudeshwar areas of Narmada district to have their “demands fulfilled”, have put the Statue of Unity Area Development and Tourism Governance Authority (SOUADTGA) at it’s wits’ end, prompting them to approach the police.
Now, in order to shoo off protesters looking to climb up telecom towers, the Narmada district police have stationed round-the-clock guards and increased police patrolling, especially in the early hours, across all accessible transmission tower installations in the SoU’s periphery — as many as 35 of them.
The decision came a few days after a man and a woman from the Narmada-affected villages climbed up a telecom tower in Kevadia colony on December 6, demanding that their demands from the 2016 protests (what were these protests for) be met, leaving the district administration of Narmada on their toes on Friday. The duo agreed to descend from the telecom tower almost five hours later, only after Sardar Sarovar Punarvasahat Agency (SSPA) officials assured them that their demands would be forwarded to the government, sending out an urgent letter to reassure the duo.
Just a month ago, another individual from a local village had climbed up a tower in protest against his dismissal from a government posting. Two instances had been reported, with the other allegedly being that of a local person with a private grudge against someone. In all cases, the protesting individuals climbed atop the towers, agreeing to descend only if their demands were met.
Udit Agarwal, CEO, SOUADTGA and SSPA, told The Indian Express, “We were forced to approach the police to deploy security because we had first approached telecom towers to beef up the security and cut off access to the towers but they seem to be taking time… These protests are dangerous and an untoward incident can occur, whether intended by the protestor or not. We do not think it is the right way to protest or put across a grievance. Whether the demands are legitimate or not is a secondary question but we need to ensure that no one gets up there at dangerous levels… In some cases, the demands pertain to policy decisions and cannot be made at lower levels; but we are open to talking. That is the right way to approach us.”
Narmada District Superintendent of Police Prashant Sumbe said that the patrolling had been increased and security personnel deployed, in order to discourage locals from resorting to “dangerous means” to convey their message. Sumbe said, “We considered the issue and have deployed homeguards and GRD jawans at various points in Kevadia, Garudeshwar and the vicinity. We have identified about 35 such towers which… have staircases that allow local people to climb up the tower.”
Sumbe said that the decision has been taken following at least four incidents in the last four months of people climbing up the towers to “protest” government decisions or expedite their demands. “It is our request to all the people to go through the legal course to seek remedy and not through actions where they could cause bodily harm or endanger their lives,” Sumbe said.
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