Health Hazards from Cell Phone Towers In Residential Areas

India’s development in the field of Science and Technology was substantial from the British period. Telecommunication has become especially important in recent years because of the enormous growth of Information Technology and its potential impact on the rest of the economy. The popularity of cell phones and wireless communication devices has resulted in the proliferation of cell towers across the city. While all of us have had our share of fun with mobile technology, it is now time to introspect and study the problems that one could face because of cell phone towers being installed in residential areas.

Health Hazard from Cell Phone Towers

Mobile phone towers crowding the city’s skyline is making the air toxic for us. There are indicative studies to prove that these radiations are harmful for people living in a 300-meter radius of a tower. Pregnant women and children are at a higher risk from cell phone towers than the normal population. It is very unfortunate to see huge cell towers thronging the rooftops in and around residential apartments, hospitals, schools and educational institutions and this has become more or less a common sight in cities across India and elsewhere.

• The younger the child, the deeper is the penetration of electromagnetic radiation due to the fact that children’s skulls are thinner.

• Children, adolescents and pregnant women could be at  maximum risk

• Radiation from mobile towers poses grave health risks including memory loss, lack of concentration and digestive disturbances.

• The radiation leads to the disappearance of butterflies, bees, insects and sparrows.

• According to established norms, the radiation level of 600 milli watts per meter square (mw/m. sq.) is considered safe. But mobile phone towers emit electromagnetic rays above the safe limit.
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• Being exposed to the thermal effect could cause fatigue, cataracts and reduced mental concentration.

• There is non-thermal effect as well which affects people who are at a distance from the tower. The ill-effects of a non-thermal effect are cell membrane permeability.

• The number of people having health problems is more in areas where radiation levels are high. These towers are like deadly weapons for all living beings.

Why Property Owners Allow Cell Phone Towers?

Why such deadly cell phone towers are allowed to be installed in residential areas? The telecommunication companies or service providers pay rent for installation of towers. Letting building for cell phone towers is a good source of income for property owners and institutions.

Cell phone companies pay “rent” for their placement that can range anywhere from Rs 10,000 to 30,000 per month or above Rs 30,000 where competition among service providers is high. Some cell phone companies set up unauthorized towers which are also called “camouflage towers” which looks like a palm tree, water tank, chimney or street light.

However, in cities like Ahmedabad, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Punjab as well as metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad, theHigh Court has banned installation of cell phone towers in residential areas. Meanwhile, the State government is also chalking out a policy to crack a whip on cell phone towers in the residential areas in the city.

What you can do?

• Don’t buy a near a cell phone tower even if the price is low.

• Maximize your health through proper nutrition and good hydration.

• People who are living within 400-500 metres of a mobile tower should get their houses tested for radiation.

• Eat foods high in antioxidants and take supplements.

• Limit your use of wireless devices. Go back to ‘wired’ connections whenever possible.

• People can refuse to work or shop in environments that endanger their health. They can demand that wireless devices be removed from their children’s schools and from their work and entertainment places.

• Don’t let cell phone companies install cell phone antennas on the roofs of schools where your children go

• An apartment owners Association or Resident Welfare Association (RWA) should ensure that mobile service providers and building property owners have got an NOC from other occupants before installing a cell phone tower.

• If any citizen has apprehensions, he should seek an explanation from the company putting up the tower. If that remedy fails, then they have a right to approach the court of law.