The Delhi High Court today sought the Centre's response on a 70 year-old widow's plea seeking Rs 50 lakh as compensation from authorities for allowing a cellular operator to install a mobile tower on the terrace of her house which caused health hazards to her young daughter.
Issuing a notice to the Union Health Ministry, a leading mobile service provider, telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and MCD, Justice Rajiv Shakdhar sought their replies by May 1 on the plea of Seeta Devi, a resident of East Chander Nagar.
Filing the plea through counsel R S Bhatia, the woman said her 30-year-old daughter as diagnosed with cancer and despite her protest against installation of the mobile tower, the authorities allowed the private company to set up the tower on the terrace of her house in March last year and her daughter's condition got aggravated due to the use of high frequency rays of the tower.
"The use of high frequency rays of the mobile tower is hazardous to the petitioner, her daughter (cancer patient) and also local residents as the concerned doctors who treated her daughter have advised that the mobile frequency is hazardous for the life of her daughter and till date, she has spent more than Rs 20 lakhs for the treatment.
Further, the mobile tower rays further deteriorated her daughter's health day by day and the patient is on the last stage of her life," the plea said.Seeking removal of the tower from her property, the petitioner also claimed a compensation of Rs 50 lakhs.
The woman said there is a temple, a government school and also a community centre besides the marketing complex near to her house.Further, she claimed to have lodged a complaint with the DCP (East) in April last year but no action has been taken.