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Eugenio Cabezas
Almayate
Wednesday, 29 May 2024, 15:34
Residents of Almayate to the west of Vélez-Málaga on the eastern stretch of the Costa del Sol have started a petition against a mobile phone mast that they say is to be located just 200 metres from homes, the village’s Juan Paniagua primary school, a nursery and the library.
The plot of land where the antenna is to be installed “is very close to the houses, where there are many small children, elderly and sick people’,” said local resident María Ruiz on the same day that work began to prepare the land for the mast’s installation.
‘We don't want the antenna to be placed in an area so close to the houses. There are studies that show that the radiation causes cancer", said the resident to SUR, who added that the owner of the plot where it will be located, Miguel Ángel Molina, who was a Partido Popular (PP) councillor between 2007 and 2015, “responds by telling us that they have all the permits and that the cancer thing is fake”.
“If it is fake, why doesn't he install it in his house? That house is not where he lives, his house is about 200 metres away,” argued Ruiz, who added that they are continuing to collect signatures and are considering organising a demonstration.
Two of the three opposition socialist PSOE councillors at Vélez-Málaga town hall, Charo Gómez and Víctor González, showed their support to the residents. Speaking on Monday 27 May Gómez said on social media, “‘We support and share the neighbourhood's concern about the installation of an antenna in the vicinity of the school, library, nursery and all the adjoining houses in Almayate.”
She also said that they have written to the PP and GIPMTM coalition currently in power at the town hall to ask for explanations on the matter and said that they also support the petition. “We hope that the PP will take the appropriate measures to rectify this concern, as well as ensuring that the antenna has all the necessary permits and requirements in accordance with current legislation,” said the socialist councillor.
Molina, who runs a restaurant and hotel in the area, explained that Vodafone had been negotiating with him to install this antenna for about six years. He said that they were interested in that plot of land “because they have had to remove another one that is also near my restaurant and my home, closer to the sea, and it is the central government that is forcing them to remove these antennas and move them away from the beach.”
“I think I am doing something good for the village, since we all want to have mobile coverage, to be able to surf the internet, send WhatsApps and check social media. I would never have imagined that something like this would make the neighbours want to collect signatures,” Molina said.
He went on to say, “The company assures me that it has all the relevant permits, from the town hall, the Junta and the government. They have to put it somewhere.” He explained that the financial side of the installation hasn’t been finalised yet and does not believe that mobile phone antennas cause cancer or illnesses, “otherwise the administrations would not authorise them”.
Molina said he feels “like those people who said the earth was round and they burnt them at the stake”. For him the antenna “is a positive thing” and the financial agreement is “the least important” aspect.
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