Murli Deora gets monitored mobile tower radiation levels in Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 22 (ANI): In order to ensure that the mobile towers ascribed to international standards, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Murli Deora got the electromagnetic frequency radiation emitted above the Haji Ali Juice Center monitored here on Thursday.

Deora said that the level of radiation was under control, and added that the government would take stern action against those towers who don't comply with the international standards being followed by the ministry.

"Our job is to maintain the international standards; especially the one's prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and measure the level of radiation. Today, the Haji Ali Juice Centre is one junction where many people come and visit. There are a lot of towers here; a lot of BTS's (base transmitter stations) are here," said Deora.

"Our findings here today are within the limitations, within permissible limits. But I also want to inform that wherever the towers are emitting excessive radiation outside the limit, we fine those towers and even then if they don't comply, we shut them down," he added.

Deora stated that due to the boom in the telecommunication sector, there was a surge in the number of mobile phone users in the country. Hence there was also a rise in the number of telecom towers.

"When the number of mobile phone connections increase in our country, then automatically the number of towers will also increase. To regulate these towers, especially the level of radiation is the job of our ministry and the federal government," he added.

The Supreme Court had in 2006 sought responses from the Centre and the Telecom Department on a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) describing the communication towers - put up at prominent locations by mobile phone service providers - as health hazards, because they emit electromagnetic radiation.

The constant electromagnetic radiation from the communication towers could lead to cancer and also cause neurological, cardiac, respiratory disorders. (ANI)