NHRC issues notices to ministries for cell phone tower radiation

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued notices to the IT and health ministries over concerns of radiation emissions from mobile towers.

The notices were issued after T.J. Mathai from Kottayam in Kerala moved NHRC, complaining the amount of radiation being emitted is hazardous to health. The ministries have been given two weeks time to respond.

The complainant raised several issues and illegalities around mobile phone towers in residential areas. He claimed the towers were emitting radiation beyond permissible limits, especially after the introduction of 3G and 4G services.

The complaint stated that apart from the number of mobile towers in the vicinity of residential areas, the excessive level of radiation emanating from them is a matter of concern. It claimed that even if towers of 11 mobile network companies operating in India do not exceed the radiation limit individually, the combined radiation range of all these towers could be much higher and hazardous for health.

Globally, while some scientists believe mobile phone radiation is linked to chronic diseases like cancer, others claim there is no conclusive proof for the same.

An NHRC spokesperson said that further steps will be decided only after the ministries submit their reports. As there is a provision of fine by the government for violating rules of radiation, the Commission believes that the ministries should have details of all cell towers in the country and should be able to furnish within the given time.