Council sues Vodafone over rooftop antenna

The Kercem local council and mayor yesterday sued Vodafone over the installation of a transmission antenna on the roof of a resident's house.

The council and mayor Joseph Grima in his personal capacity filed a writ of summons in the Gozo courts against Vodafone Malta Ltd, Kercem resident Raymond Mercieca and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

They declared that Vodafone Malta Limited had recently attached a transmission antenna on the roof of Mercieca's house at Kercem.

It had been proven that transmissions from such antennae were harmful to persons due to radiation and microwave emissions, plaintiffs said.

Vodafone had attached the antenna after obtaining the necessary permits from Mepa but the permit had been obtained in an abusive and illegal manner as Mepa had failed to observe the principles of natural justice and other procedural requirements.

Plaintiffs requested a declaration from the courts that the permit was contrary to law.

They also requested the Gozo courts to order the issue of a warrant of prohibitory injunction against defendants in terms of which Vodafone and Mercieca would be prohibited from effecting transmissions from the antenna at Kercem.

Dr Alfred Grech was counsel to plaintiffs.