The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Shillong License Service Area (LSA) today organized an awareness seminar titled ‘Electromagnetic Radiations from Mobile Towers & Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and Consumer Protection (TAFCOP)’ in the city.
The aim was to raise awareness on the need for mobile towers and disprove theories surrounding the harmful radiation from mobile towers in order to address unfounded fears of citizens by presenting credible scientific evidence.
The seminar was held as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and DoT’s public advocacy programme to commemorate the monumental occasion and to build a new Atmanirbhar Bharat by ensuring a robust telecom network with state-of-the-art technology and the best quality of service.
An expert panel comprising of senior officers from the Telecom department, along with a doctor, discussed the concerns put forth by citizens while also disproving myths and misinformation related to health hazards related to the radiation from mobile towers.
AK Jain, DDG (Compliance), DoT, North East LSA, Shillong, said “The DoT monitors the EMF emission levels from towers across India and ensures compliance with emission norms across the country through its field units. LSAs also conduct physical audits of sites by selecting them randomly and testing the power of the available EMF signals at different probable locations near the site”.
Further, AK Sahu, Senior DDG, DoT, North East LSA, Shillong stated, “Telecommunications is a key source of empowerment of citizens at large and an effective tool for socio-economic development of a nation. It has become the core infrastructure for the rapid growth and modernization of various sectors of the economy. To provide the best quality of telecommunication service to the customers, the expansion of mobile network including tower infrastructure are inevitable”.
As part of his presentation on EMF radiation, K Sri Krishna, DDG Mizoram, DoT, North East LSA, discussed the need of mobile phones in our lives and development of the country. He gave the overview of low-level Electro Magnetic field emanation from mobile towers. He continued the presentation and said, “The EMF radiation is a RF/Electromagnetic energy emitted from mobile tower antenna and mobile handset are non-ionizing having very low energy. Based on scientific evidence, studies and reports available, it is found that there is no conclusive evidence of the stated danger of EMF radiation from mobile tower.”
Further, the EMF emissions from a mobile tower, which are below the safe limits prescribed by International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO), have no convincing scientific evidence of causing adverse health effects.
A Robert Jerard Ravi, DDG (Compliance), DoT, AP LSA, Vijaywada mentioned, that all telecom service providers ensure that radiation from mobile towers (BTSs) are within safe-limits prescribed by DoT and self-certification to this effect is submitted to respective DoT, field units on launch, whenever a change occurs and also on a biennial/triennial basis. All mobile towers start functioning commercially only after the submission of self-certification.
Dr Arun Chougule, Senior Professor & Head of the Department of Radiological Physics, SMS Medical College & Hospitals, Jaipur shared his perspective and cleared misconceptions associated with mobile tower radiations.
He said, “Extensive scientific research on the subject has been unable to find a connection between mobile tower radiation and human health.” There is no scientific or medical evidence available to corroborate the argument used against mobile towers.
He added that exceedingly low powered non-ionizing radiations are emitted from cell towers that have no adverse health impact on human life or animal life, whatsoever. Following investigations, the WHO has concluded that there is no risk to human health from mobile tower radiation.
