Residents of Siparia Old Road in Fyzabad are calling on the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) to stop the construction of two transmission towers too close to their homes.

They cited health and safety concerns, saying 220 kilovolts (kV) emits a lot of radiation that can be cancerous.

Towers 46 and 47 are across the street from each other.

Spokesman Harrilal Rampersad said, "A lot of people have comorbidities. I have psoriasis, and my son and nephew are psoriasis patients also. My niece-in-law suffers from lupus. Seeing this monstrosity in our faces every day has a terrible effect on us.

"We have identified another site that they can use. The alternative is east of here.

"We are not against this country's development. Tower 47 is about 100 feet in height, and we object to it vociferously."

[caption id="attachment_989842" align="alignnone" width="1024"] An excavator works in Siparia Old Road, Fyzabad, for the construction of a TT Electricity Commission transmission tower in the community. - Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]

The overhead transmission lines connect Union Estate 220/66 kV to the Gandhi Village 220kV/ 132 kV substation.

Rampersad estimated that the tower is about 20 feet from two houses, reiterating that it should be moved further away.

"We have tried to reason with them many times. We have had at least four meetings with T&TEC. We are fed up. We do not have the funds to relocate. Tower 47 affects at least four residential buildings," Rampersad added. "This is private property. We are the fourth-generation owners, the Rampersads. They have to compensate us, but no mention so far has been made about compensation."

He said residents are still determining how much land would be taken away to facilitate the construction.

Newsday called T&TEC officials for comment, but up to Wednesday afternoon, no response was forthcoming.

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