Inform public about health hazard of mobile towers: Punjab and Haryana High Court to Govt and mobile companies

Inform public about health hazard of mobile towers: HC to Govt

Chandigarh
Indian Express - Jun 08 2011
Raghav Ohri

Expressing concern over the effects of radiation from mobile towers installed in residential areas, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that it is the duty of the government and mobile companies to inform residents about the harmful effects. A division bench ruled the government will be duty bound to inform the public living where a mobile tower is to be erected, about the “amount of radiation it will emit” and its harmful effects thereof on the health of people. The information will have to be supplied in the shape of a public notice, the court ruled, before the mobile tower is erected. The HC also directed the companies in the business of installing mobile towers to do the same.

The directions were passed on an appeal by M/s Wireless TT Info Services Limited and another which had moved the HC against Haryana, challenging the validity of Haryana Municipal (erection of communication towers) by-laws, 2009. HC has upheld by-laws. The petitioner had challenged the levy of tax, terming it unreasonable.

Making it clear that "there is no absolute right to carry on any business, the Bench ruled that it (business) is always subject to reasonable restriction and regulation", and highlighted the damage being caused due to the radiation originating from mobile towers. "It will be the duty of the local authorities to issue a public notice for information of all concerned where the permission for erection of a tower is being considered or granted to apprise the public as to what amount of radiation it will emit and the effect thereof on the health of the people living in the area," read the judgment.

The HC held that "the mobile emit signals in the form of radio waves. It is also feared that the radio waves can cause changes to the cells in our brain. If the DNA in the brain cells gets damaged, they may become cancerous and cause brain tumours. It is also feared that the radio waves can alter chemical and electrical reactions in our brain, changing, in effect, the way the brain cells communicate. Studies conducted have revealed that sparrows have declined in the most contaminated electromagnetic fields".

Link - http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Inform-public-about-health-hazard-of-mobile-towers--HC-to-Govt/800786/