LAHORE - In a critical situation when Punjab government is struggling hard to get out of its financial tailspin, the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has made zero revenue collections in connection with installation of mobile phone towers. Over the last 11 months, not a single penny could be collected, as District Coordination Officer Sajjad Ahmed Bhutta has not issued NOC to any company to install their mobile phone towers under the pretext of full enforcement of rules and regulations laid down by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). At present more than 4,000 mobile phone towers are installed in the City. The situation is a big blow for the crumbling financial status, as telecom sector thriving over the last many years could not produce revenue for the government. This has also turned to be dark period of the telecom sector that attracted foreign direct investment of US$ 9 billion amounting to 46 per cent of countrys total FDI in the last three years. Recently, the chief executive officers of major telecom companies working in Pakistan expressed their commitment to jointly invest at least US$ one billion in infrastructure, capital expenditure and technology in the next fiscal year to complement the enabling environment that the government is providing as a stimulus. The Prime Minister appreciated the investment made by the mobile companies in the telecom sector of Pakistan and announced to continue to provide incentives to the telecom industry so that the sector may continue to attract more investment and create more jobs. Sources in DCO office told The Nation that around 200 applications to install mobile phone towers were pending in the office of DCO. Decisions were yet to be taken in this regard, sources disclosed. Sources revealed that the robust activity of installation of mobile phone towers, once witnessed boom over the last 10 years, had screeched to a complete halt as not even a single mobile phone tower called Base Trans-Receiver Station (BTS) could be installed since January 2009 to till date. Sources said Punjab government transferred the powers regarding installation of mobile phone towers from Town Municipal Officers (TMOs) to District Coordination Officer (DCO) in January, 2009. According to rules, all the cellular companies desirous to install BTS towers or antennas needed to submit documents to DCO regarding site plan of the proposed site and site details (whether to be installed on roof top, building premises or open plot). The companies also need to present structural stability certificate from a qualified structural engineer or engineering company registered with the Pakistan engineering council and countersigned by the director concerned of the mobile telephone company. The companies also must to submit NOC from Civil Aviation Authority wherever required, affidavit from the concerned owner of the property, detailed design of the tower and ownership proof. They are also required to present NOC from environmental protection authority or district officer environment for that particular location for generator set only. According to rules, director concerned of mobile company must to furnish an affidavit stating in case of any loss of life or property the concerned cellular company will be bound to pay Rs. 0.2 million to each victim and make good any damage to any property. Rules said the area approved for installation of BTS towers should be maintained and beautified by the concerned company to create environmental friendly atmosphere. They said security of BTS towers in all respects would be responsibility of the concerned cellular company. In case the site is acquired by any government agency for development activity in public interest, the removable structure will be removed by cellular company at its own risk and cost. However, compensation of land and permanent structures will be regulated according to relevant provisions of law. Permission to install tower will be valid for 10 year and renewable for equal terms after due inspection by the local government authority concerned. Rules also said approval for construction of the towers or antennas would be subject to the permission of the district committee. DCO heads the committee and its members comprising DO(Planning), TMO, TO(P&C), DO(Environment), representative of development authority and any other member co-opted by the committee. Divisional Commissioners will review the performance of district committee. The Provisional Coordination Committee will also monitor the performance of district committees. The Provisional Coordination Committee is comprising of secretary LG & CD as chairman, secretary EPD, secretary Industries, secretary IT, secretary HUD & PHE, nominee of mobile company. Rules say in case of operation of BTS sites on generators, initially when WAPDA power is not available, noise level of the generator sets should be kept up to 65-75 decibel and vibration level will not exceed over 1.1m, at one meter distance from the generators. All generators should be housed in brick walled rooms and soundproof canopies to ensure that above two parameters should not exceed the given limits. When contacted PSO to DCO Tariq Zaman said those companies would be given preference in terms of granting NOCs that would try to share the towers wherever possible keeping in view all the technical aspects and rules. He said we were not against the industry and any company. Those companies that would meet the rules laid down by PTA would be allowed to install mobile tower, he added.