India: Radiation from mobile towers: NHRC issues notices

Bron: www.merinews.com/article/radiation-from-mobile-towers-nhrc-issues-notices/15916799.shtml
4 juni 2016

Notices have been issued to the Union Ministries of Communications and Information Technology and Health through their Secretaries by the National Human Rights Organisation (NHRC) regarding complaints of hazardous radiations emitted by mobile towers.

The Commission has called for a report in the wake of allegations in a complaint that mobile phone towers, in the close vicinity of residential areas, are emitting radiations, hazardous to the health of human beings. The concerned authorities have to reply within two weeks.

The Commission while issuing notices has observed that it cannot be denied that today's generation is living amongst mobile towers, digital cables, mobiles etc. The virtual world has encompassed every aspect of human life. In such a scenario, if the allegations leveled in the complaint are true, the Right to Health and Right to Life of a common man is under serious threat.

In a release the NHRC said that the government should adopt strategies which ensure that development is done without causing any substantive damage to the life and health of human beings and other living things.

The complainant has mentioned in detail the ill-effects of electro-magnetic radiations in his complaint by citing various scientific studies and guidelines. He has submitted that a radiation is a threat to man's health and life, especially patients, children, old people and the foetus. He has also referred to a Government order dated 21.08.2013 which states that the local self-government institutions should confirm that ''the proposed tower is not coming within 500 mts of schools/hospitals.''

He has stated that this order is imperfect because it does not cover ''houses'' but only ''schools/hospitals'', which should not be within 500 meters of a mobile phone tower. Allegedly, due to this imperfect and illogical Government order, the mobile operators are violating safe radiation range and are erecting towers in thickly populated residential areas thereby exposing people to electro-magnetic radiation.

Allegedly, a sum of Rs. 10.80 crore was reported to have been collected as fine up to the 31st May, 2015 from various mobile operating companies, for violating radiation range, is a proof that the safe radiation ranges are often being violated by them. The faulty and unsafe fittings of diesel generators to run the mobile towers also cause lot of air pollution.



Lees verder in de categorie Berichten Internationaal | Terug naar homepage | Lees de introductie