Jio not to pursue tower installation project inside Gir, Girnar sanctuaries: Govt

Reliance Jio Infocomm has conveyed its decision not to pursue its project to install telecom towers inside Gir and Girnar wildlife sanctuaries, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

As informed by the Gujarat government, Reliance Jio Infocomm had submitted proposals for the construction of 41 mobile towers in the Gir and Girnar wildlife sanctuaries.

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha on whether any decision has been taken regarding the approval, Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan in a written reply said: ”As informed by the Government of Gujarat, the Reliance Jio Infocomm has conveyed its decision not to pursue the project for installation of telecommunication towers inside the Gir and Girnar wildlife sanctuaries”.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has not issued any advisory in 2017 regarding the setting up of mobile towers in areas populated by wildlife.

There is, however, an advisory dated August 9, 2012, issued by the Ministry regarding the ‘use of mobile towers in a way to minimize their impact on wildlife including birds and bees’, Chauhan said. PTI