Recent media reports and other whispers are suggesting that there is growing concern amongst people living in Gurgaon on the harmful effects of the radiations emitted by cell phone towers installed in various sectors. RWAs have undertaken dharnas to get these removed from their vicinity; some RWAs have even threatened to go to court.
How dangerous are these cell phone towers, and what is the remedy?
Residents in Gurgaon have not yet reported any of the several ailments linked with such radiations – like headache, fatigue, joint pain, sleep disturbance, ear problems. Some experts have opined that the radiation from these towers can also lead to cancers. People quote the well-researched case of Usha Kiran Building, Worli, Mumbai, where six cancer cases were reported from consecutive floors (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 10th). The floors were directly facing, and at a similar height, as, the mobile phone towers of four telecom companies that were placed on the roof of a building opposite – Vijay Apartments Terrace on Carmichael Road. The two buildings are within 15 metres of each other, a 'harmful distance' for
these waves.
Technical studies indicate a pattern of radiation from cell towers. The effect of these radiations depends on one's direction and distance from these towers. There is also a difference in the type of radiations emitted from the circular dish antennas versus cell tower antennas. The circular dish antennas, operating at high frequency but low power, are point to point, and not very harmful to people just outside their ‘line-of-sight’. Cell tower antennas, operating at low frequency and higher power, are point to multi-point, and potentially more dangerous. Most towers in Gurgaon are primarily equipped with the standard cell tower antennas.
It must, however, be accepted that human beings are capable of absorbing a certain amount of radiation without harmful effects. The best examples one can give are of the use of TV sets and microwave ovens. Both produce harmful radiation, but in such micro intensities that they are not considered potential health hazards.
To negate the effect of these harmful radiations from cell towers we can consider the following, as per experts:
ν Review 'safe radiation levels', and be ultra-conservative. We should anyway reduce the power transmitted from each tower. This will certainly reduce the coverage area of each tower, and thus will need a greater number of towers – but, health is the real wealth. We need to adopt the slogan - “Reduce the Power or Remove the Tower”.
ν Use Radiation Protectors, that can be pasted at the back of cell phones, and even laptops and other devices emitting radiations. The protectors emit radiations of a higher frequency than cell tower radiations, thus generating random waves which suppress the microwaves emitted by towers, cell phones, Wi-Fi devices, and make them compatible with the human body’s wave form. Some technical jargon that!
ν Use quartz crystals, which emit negative ions, to help dissipate the electromagnetic emission from towers, or any other electronic gadgets, in the vicinity.
We need to monitor cell tower radiation 24x7. While mobile telephony has taken quantum leaps recently, India has been lax in managing the growing threat of cell tower radiation.
(Atul Dev is a Gurgaon based senior freelance journalist. He is also Convener of INTACH-Gurgaon Chapter.)
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