|
The Department of Telecom (DoT) and the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) asserted before the National Green Tribunal today that the radiation emitted from the mobile towers are not affected with any health risk to human life.
A bench headed by Chairperson Justice Swatenter Kumar was hearing a bunch of petitions claiming that mobile phone towers were posing health hazards and "norms are flouted brazenly by all companies involved with installation of mobile towers, having complete disregard and concern for environmental protection". Taking the note from the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, the counsel appeared for DoT said, "So far, no conclusive evidence has been found on adverse health effects by EMF radiation from mobile handset by the World Health Organisation (WHO)(and) so long as EMF radiation power levels in the vicinity of base stations of cellphone towers are below the prescribed limits, there should not be any cause of concern for adverse thermal health affects on human beings living close them, Appearing for Cellular operators association of India (COAI), advocate Ramji Srinivasan said in his argument that mobile-tower radiations are not a "pollutant" or a health hazard. He further claimed that so far 25 case studies had been conducted which said that the radiation emitted from the mobile towers are 'non-ionizing' which is not associated with any health risks. Mr Srinivasan said that telecom companies, which install mobile towers, are regulated under two Acts- The Indian Telegraph Act and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act- which cover all the precautionary guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF). The guidelines are made to strongly enforce the vigilance on the mobile operators and the licence only issued to those firms who comply with the emission norms, he added. On the other hand, the petitioner's counsel Raj Panjwani said under the 'human environment' definition, the tribunal is capable to give the judgement. ''The NGT under the human environment is mandated to issue direction that cause serious threat not only to health but also environment " said Lawyer Raj Panjwani.Meanwhile, the NGT reserved its verdict after the conclusion of final arguments in the matter. Earlier, on September 9, the tribunal directed the Centre to specifically reply on the nature of electromagnetic radiations emitted from mobile towers and "whether such radiation is injurious to human health and environmentally hazardous". The NGT also asked whether the construction of mobile towers in the residential areas posed a serious threat to human life or not.UNI AP CJ RJ 2255 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0412-410026.Xml
|
