The team of experts constituting members of Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) confirmed that a majority of mobile towers in the city are emitting radiations above permissible limit, said sources in the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB). The report submitted almost a month back to the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) was forwarded to the JSPCB for further action.
“It is for the JSPCB to take a decision on towers emitting radiations beyond permissible limit,” said Deputy CEO of RMC Shailendra lal. The RMC collected data of as many as 23 mobile towers in the first phase which was handed over to the expert committee for assessment and ascertain violation by mobile towers. Incidentally, no expert from BIT accompanied the team during the data collection process. According to former chairman of JSPCB Mani Shankar, the report suggested that pollution due to mobile towers exceeds permissible limit and is potentially hazardous to living being residing in the vicinity.
“The report mentions that the Electromagnetic Radiations emanating from a mobile tower in residential areas are a threat to humans and animals,” added Shankar. However, the former JSPCB Chairman disapproved of the report and questioned credentials of the team involved in the assessment of the impact of EMR. The board in its meeting on September 25 rejected the findings and instead recommended reassessment by a superior agency of national repute.
“It will be better if a national agency is entrusted with the task of assessing the impact of EMR,” maintained Shankar. Interestingly, a similar study conducted by Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring Cells (TERM cell), a government body to monitor adherence to telecom rules by operators, stand in stark contrast to the findings of the BIT. The State unit of TERM Cells did not find violation of permissible limit by Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) of any telecom service provider.
“We regularly monitor towers radiating electromagnetic waves. So far we have not found any non-compliance with regard to the limits prescribed for a mobile tower,” said Deputy Director General of TERM cell Jharkhand, JB Prasad. The TERM cell had in the last week conducted assessment of more than 56 towers in different parts of Jharkhand. The government agency is entrusted with power of slapping fine on BTS violating norms.