Question : IMPACT OF RADIATION FROM MOBILE TOWERS

(a) the number of Mobile Towers functioning in the country as on date, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether Government has conducted any study on the impact of radiation generated by mobile towers/mobile handsets on humans and animals;

(c) if so, the details and outcome thereof and if not, whether the Government proposes to conduct such Official study in future;

(d) whether the Government has issued any guidelines to the Telecom Service Providers and mobile manufacturing/importing companies on emission norms of Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) radiation and installation of mobile towers near residential/public places; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government on the erring telecom service providers and manufacturing units for violation of these guidelines, company-wise?

THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) Madam, the telecom licenses are issued Licensed Service Area (LSA) wise and accordingly the information is maintained LSA-wise. Number of mobile base transceiver station (BTS) functioning in the country, LSA-wise, as on 30.09.2014 is provided as Annexure-A.

(b) & (c) Government on 24.08.2010, has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) consisting of officers from Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Indian Council of Medical Research (Ministry of Health), Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of Environment and Forest to examine the effect of Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) Radiation from base stations and mobile phones. The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) in its report, has examined the environmental and health related concerns and has indicated that most of the laboratory studies were unable to find a direct link between exposure to radio frequency radiation and health; and the scientific studies as yet have not been able to confirm a cause and effect relationship between radio frequency radiation and health. The effect of emission from cell phone towers on human health is not known yet with certainty.

In addition, a joint initiative has been launched by Science and Engineering Research Board, a statutory body under Department of Science & Technology and Department of Telecommunication to study possible impact of EMF radiation exposure from mobile towers and handsets in the non-ionizing band (300MHZ to 3 GHZ) on life. i.e. Humans, Living Organisms, Flora & Fauna and Environment. A committee comprising of various experts from Medical & Engineering Institutes, has short listed research proposals for further consideration which will be supported for funding in campaign mode.

Further, World Health Organization (WHO) in its Fact Sheet No. 304, May 2006 on Electro Magnetic Fields (EMF) and Public Health (Base Stations and Wireless Technologies) has concluded that “considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak Radio Frequency (RF) Signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects.” “From all evidence accumulated so far, no adverse short or long term health effects have been shown to occur from the RF Signals produced by base stations (mobile phone towers)”. Further, WHO has referred to approximately 25,000 articles published around the world over past 30 years, and based on an in-depth review of scientific literature, has concluded: “current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to EMF radiation”

(d)&(e) Department of Telecom (DoT) has issued guidelines to the Telecom Service Providers on emission norms of Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) radiation. As per the present guidelines, the limits for EMF radiations from Base Station in India are as below -

 Frequency	E-Field Strength	H-Field Strength	Power Density Range	( Volt/Meter	(Amp/Meter	(Watt/Sq.Meter	(V/m))	(A/m))	(W/Sq.m)) 400MHz to 2000MHz	0.434f ½	0.0011f ½	f/2000 2GHz to 300GHz	19.29	0.05	1	(f is frequency in MHz)