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Now, state-specific norms for mobile tower radiation

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MUMBAI: Following a directive from the union department of telecommunication (DoT), after pressure from Citizen Groups like the New Link Road residents Forum, the state government is coming up with state-specific norms for radiation emitted from mobile towers. While the DoT had revised the radiation limit to 450 milliwatts/ square metres, other rules and regulations to be followed by mobile tower operators will be formulated by the state government and the municipal corporation.

In response to a letter sent by Malabar Hill residents on inconsistencies in the recentlylaunched complaint-handling system for radiation emitted by mobile towers, RK Bhatnagar, advisor (technology), DoT, said: “The system is only to measure the radiation levels. DoT has forwarded the guidelines to state governments and any action is expected to be initiated by them.”

Illegal Mobile towers throng the terrace of this SRA building at Dahisar with other flats less that a few metres away.

Confirming the reception of guidelines from the union government, chief secretary Jayant Kumar Banthia said the state was working on framing norms.

Officials from the state urban development department said opinions from the rural development, medical education and public health departments were also being sought.

Reiterating the need for a more comprehensive approach to deal with complaints about mobile radiation, Malabar Hill residents had sent two letters to Milind Deora, union minister for communications and information technology on October 10 and 12.

“We had stated that despite paying Rs4,000 for measuring radiation from the towers through the system, residents were only given the emission readings. There was no mention of other criteria such as height restrictions, power transmissions from base tower stations and so on,” said Prakash Munshi, Malabar Hill resident.