Page 3
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
It’s time to stop sweeping the facts under the carpet
Guest Coloumn by Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT Bombay
13 Oct 2013 - Hindustan Times (Mumbai)- Page 4
AROUND THE WORLD, PERMISSIBLE SIGNAL STRENGTH IS DETERMINED BY THE EFFECT IT IS FOUND TO HAVE ON THE HEALTH OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
We need mobile phones. There is no doubt about that. And mobile phones cannot work without mobile phone signal towers.
But that does not mean that we should allow the indiscriminate installation of towers across our residential spaces, without questioning whether their design and distribution has been planned keeping our health and wellbeing in mind — or that of the service providers’ balance sheet.
Why, for instance, have cellphone service providers been allowed to create towers that emit a signal out across larger and larger distances — when this has been found to be more harmful to the health of local residents, and only helps them reduce operating costs?
Why have they not been forced each with a reduced intensity and thereby a reduced impact on the health of local residents?
While this would admittedly cost a lot of money, that surely cannot excuse trapping innocent people within the range of harmful radiation against their will and knowledge.
Around the world, in fact, signal strength is determined not by profit margins but by the effect it has been found to have on the health of local residents. And around the world, the solution has been the same — towers of lower signal strength, distributed over large areas rather than concentrated on a single area, street or building.
Without adequate monitoring, this is a problem that could grow rapidly out of hand.
Already, there are more than 900 million mobile phone subscribers and about 5 lakh mobile phone towers in the country.
What norms we follow when it comes to the installation of these towers are based on the ICNIRP ( International Commission on Non- Ionising Radiation Protection) Guidelines framed been questioned by experts around the world.
Meanwhile, an InterMinisterial Committee (IMC) report released in January 2011 listed several health hazards caused by the radiation emitted by mobile phone towers — included two Bio-Initiative Reports released by teams of scientists gathered from around the world, proposing safe radiation levels for these towers — have been trashed by the industry concerned and ignored by the authorities reports published in prestigious international journals. Why have they not been taken seriously?
Meanwhile, those of us who live near these powerful mobile phone signal towers are increasingly complaining of sleep disorders, headaches, irritability, lack of concentration problems, memory loss, depression, hearing loss and joint problems. More severe reactions include seizures, paralysis, miscarriages, irreversible infertility, and cancer. Children and pre gnant women have been found to be most vulnerable.
Apart from humans, mobile phone tower radiation also and the environment. The yield of fruit-bearing trees near such towers has been found to drop.
And cellphone service providers continue to insist that there is no concrete evidence of health hazards.
It’s the same thing we saw Big Tobacco do for years, and the alcohol lobbies. Lives were lost as governments found themselves torn between the abstract good of health and well-being and the more concrete lure of hard profit.
This time, we must not wait that long. We must not let the facts be mangled and the hard evidence swept under the carpet.
If we all put our foot down and insist that we will allow mobile phone towers on our buildings only if the intensity of the radiation is lowered, then the operators will have to comply.
The time has come for us to choose between health and wealth, and live with the outcome of those choices.
13 Oct 2013 - Hindustan Times (Mumbai)- Page 4
AROUND THE WORLD, PERMISSIBLE SIGNAL STRENGTH IS DETERMINED BY THE EFFECT IT IS FOUND TO HAVE ON THE HEALTH OF LOCAL RESIDENTS
We need mobile phones. There is no doubt about that. And mobile phones cannot work without mobile phone signal towers.
But that does not mean that we should allow the indiscriminate installation of towers across our residential spaces, without questioning whether their design and distribution has been planned keeping our health and wellbeing in mind — or that of the service providers’ balance sheet.
Why, for instance, have cellphone service providers been allowed to create towers that emit a signal out across larger and larger distances — when this has been found to be more harmful to the health of local residents, and only helps them reduce operating costs?
Why have they not been forced each with a reduced intensity and thereby a reduced impact on the health of local residents?
While this would admittedly cost a lot of money, that surely cannot excuse trapping innocent people within the range of harmful radiation against their will and knowledge.
Around the world, in fact, signal strength is determined not by profit margins but by the effect it has been found to have on the health of local residents. And around the world, the solution has been the same — towers of lower signal strength, distributed over large areas rather than concentrated on a single area, street or building.
Without adequate monitoring, this is a problem that could grow rapidly out of hand.
Already, there are more than 900 million mobile phone subscribers and about 5 lakh mobile phone towers in the country.
What norms we follow when it comes to the installation of these towers are based on the ICNIRP ( International Commission on Non- Ionising Radiation Protection) Guidelines framed been questioned by experts around the world.
Meanwhile, an InterMinisterial Committee (IMC) report released in January 2011 listed several health hazards caused by the radiation emitted by mobile phone towers — included two Bio-Initiative Reports released by teams of scientists gathered from around the world, proposing safe radiation levels for these towers — have been trashed by the industry concerned and ignored by the authorities reports published in prestigious international journals. Why have they not been taken seriously?
Meanwhile, those of us who live near these powerful mobile phone signal towers are increasingly complaining of sleep disorders, headaches, irritability, lack of concentration problems, memory loss, depression, hearing loss and joint problems. More severe reactions include seizures, paralysis, miscarriages, irreversible infertility, and cancer. Children and pre gnant women have been found to be most vulnerable.
Apart from humans, mobile phone tower radiation also and the environment. The yield of fruit-bearing trees near such towers has been found to drop.
And cellphone service providers continue to insist that there is no concrete evidence of health hazards.
It’s the same thing we saw Big Tobacco do for years, and the alcohol lobbies. Lives were lost as governments found themselves torn between the abstract good of health and well-being and the more concrete lure of hard profit.
This time, we must not wait that long. We must not let the facts be mangled and the hard evidence swept under the carpet.
If we all put our foot down and insist that we will allow mobile phone towers on our buildings only if the intensity of the radiation is lowered, then the operators will have to comply.
The time has come for us to choose between health and wealth, and live with the outcome of those choices.
Prof. Girish Kumar's 2nd Newsletter on Cell Tower Radiation Hazards and Solutions - Sept - Oct 2013
Prof. Girish Kumar's 2nd Newsletter on Cell Tower Radiation Hazards and Solutions - Sept - Oct 2013
Highlights:
# Juhi Chawla's SMS on cell phone radiation
# Guidelines by Government (DOT) not sufficient to protect people
# What cell operators and their representative say
# Predicted exponential growth in health hazards
# ICNIRP Funding - Questioned by large number of people
# Precautions to reduce exposure from mobile phones
# Cell Tower Radiation Readings - Radiation Scale
Highlights:
# Juhi Chawla's SMS on cell phone radiation
# Guidelines by Government (DOT) not sufficient to protect people
# What cell operators and their representative say
# Predicted exponential growth in health hazards
# ICNIRP Funding - Questioned by large number of people
# Precautions to reduce exposure from mobile phones
# Cell Tower Radiation Readings - Radiation Scale
Prof. Girish Kumar's 2nd Newsletter on Cell Tower Radiation Hazards and Solutions - Sept - Oct 2013 by Neha Kumar
IIT Professors call cell tower rules safe - DARK MONDAY of IIT
From: Prof. Girish Kumar
Subject: IIT professors call cell tower rules safe - DARK MONDAY of IIT
Dear All,
Saw the Times of India coverage on Sep. 23, 2013, Page 5, which says: IIT professors call cell tower rules safe, doctors advise cautionhttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/IIT-professors-call-cell-tower-rules-safe-doctors-advise-caution/articleshow/22906255.cms
I have attached the names of the IIT profs. and their report at -http://www.scribd.com/doc/175536334/IIT-Professors-call-cell-tower-rules-safe-DARK-MONDAY-of-IIT. At the end of the report, they have themselves admitted that many faculty members are working on the cell operators sponsored project. Itincludes names of 3 profs. of IIT Bombay.
It is most shocking news for me and probably the darkest day in the history of IIT. We will probably have to declare DARK MONDAY of IIT
I have recd. comments from the people, which I have reproduced belowwithout their names.
Comment 1
Good Morning Sir,This will be really a dark day for all of us. Its quiet surprising to see bias stand on the issue. Doctors are true and even your studies have proven that how adverse effectsmight be of radiation to all. Lets us all get to the root of this and see what exactly is happening??
Keep me posted. Please feel free to ask me if any help needed.
Comment 2
Today's Times reports that 25 professors and research workers mainly from various IITs have written an open letter to Union Ministry of Telecommunications and IT thatpresent cell tower radiation norms are safest and that there is no need to change them !!
It is surprising that these professors have suddenly woken up to write an unsolicited open letter to the govt. Obviously they have written at the behest of cell phonecompanies and their lobby. They must have been handsomely paid for their 'consultancy services' by the telephone companies.
Comment 3
Dear Prof.Girish Kumar,It is indeed shocking! I think the script of USA model of doing business i.e. Only Profit , is being played out here in India to the T. You must have seen in the DVD (referring to Full Signal movie), how biilions were paid to both the parties in USA . ANY WAY THIS SHOULD SPUR THE ACTVISTS LIKE US TO MAKE MORE DETERMINED EFFORTS TO ENLIGHTEN THE PEOPLE AT LARGE.with regards,
Comment 4
Dear Prof Girish , Many thanks for the update . I can only pity these so called learned professors , who might have lengthy and impressive degrees plus tons of bookish knowledge . I was not aware that they are also qualified doctors ,endocrinologists ,cardiologists as well !!
If they are sincere and honest ,before publishing grossly misleading reports they should , personally
A ) Interview the families of several law abiding citizens , whose close family members have either died of cancer or are suffering severe symptoms related to electro magnetic sensitivity
B ) Subject themselves daily to exposure from cell phone towers for periods of two hours or more, particularly inside Lifts, cars, Buses, public places .
C) Allow Cigarette smokers to merrily puff away and blow the cigarette smoke right into their faces , as and when they please , without any restriction
D) Stand on the open terrace of buildings right below and in front of cell phone towers, continously at least for an hour .
Are they ready to accept these simple challenges ? I don't think so . How does it matter to them ? Perhaps they, their family members and friends are all Supermen and Superwomen from an other planet .
Please ,please learned professors , before you open your mouths and mislead the common man , do your home work properly ! You have a great moral responsibility. Remember History and our future generations will damn you when its ultimately discovered that you have been spread false misleading info .
I am an ordinary citizen of India , and not a specialist or activist. However I do not wish the common folk of India to be misled into a false sense of safety. I am willing to change my opinion if these learned professors can conduct detailed objective studies using proper instruments , consult specialist doctors, examine medical reports of victims etc and share their finding with all of us ,in an unbiased manner.
With regards.
**********************************************************************
Girish Kumar
Professor, Electrical Engineering Department
I.I.T. Bombay, Powai, Mumbai - 400076, INDIA
Tel. - (022) 2576 7436, Fax - (022) 2572 3707
email- gkumar@ee.iitb.ac.in, prof.gkumar@gmail.com
Blog - http://profgirishkumar.blogspot.in/
**********************************************************************
Subject: IIT professors call cell tower rules safe - DARK MONDAY of IIT
Dear All,
Saw the Times of India coverage on Sep. 23, 2013, Page 5, which says: IIT professors call cell tower rules safe, doctors advise cautionhttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/IIT-professors-call-cell-tower-rules-safe-doctors-advise-caution/articleshow/22906255.cms
I have attached the names of the IIT profs. and their report at -http://www.scribd.com/doc/175536334/IIT-Professors-call-cell-tower-rules-safe-DARK-MONDAY-of-IIT. At the end of the report, they have themselves admitted that many faculty members are working on the cell operators sponsored project. Itincludes names of 3 profs. of IIT Bombay.
It is most shocking news for me and probably the darkest day in the history of IIT. We will probably have to declare DARK MONDAY of IIT
I have recd. comments from the people, which I have reproduced belowwithout their names.
Comment 1
Good Morning Sir,This will be really a dark day for all of us. Its quiet surprising to see bias stand on the issue. Doctors are true and even your studies have proven that how adverse effectsmight be of radiation to all. Lets us all get to the root of this and see what exactly is happening??
Keep me posted. Please feel free to ask me if any help needed.
Comment 2
Today's Times reports that 25 professors and research workers mainly from various IITs have written an open letter to Union Ministry of Telecommunications and IT thatpresent cell tower radiation norms are safest and that there is no need to change them !!
It is surprising that these professors have suddenly woken up to write an unsolicited open letter to the govt. Obviously they have written at the behest of cell phonecompanies and their lobby. They must have been handsomely paid for their 'consultancy services' by the telephone companies.
Comment 3
Dear Prof.Girish Kumar,It is indeed shocking! I think the script of USA model of doing business i.e. Only Profit , is being played out here in India to the T. You must have seen in the DVD (referring to Full Signal movie), how biilions were paid to both the parties in USA . ANY WAY THIS SHOULD SPUR THE ACTVISTS LIKE US TO MAKE MORE DETERMINED EFFORTS TO ENLIGHTEN THE PEOPLE AT LARGE.with regards,
Comment 4
Dear Prof Girish , Many thanks for the update . I can only pity these so called learned professors , who might have lengthy and impressive degrees plus tons of bookish knowledge . I was not aware that they are also qualified doctors ,endocrinologists ,cardiologists as well !!
If they are sincere and honest ,before publishing grossly misleading reports they should , personally
A ) Interview the families of several law abiding citizens , whose close family members have either died of cancer or are suffering severe symptoms related to electro magnetic sensitivity
B ) Subject themselves daily to exposure from cell phone towers for periods of two hours or more, particularly inside Lifts, cars, Buses, public places .
C) Allow Cigarette smokers to merrily puff away and blow the cigarette smoke right into their faces , as and when they please , without any restriction
D) Stand on the open terrace of buildings right below and in front of cell phone towers, continously at least for an hour .
Are they ready to accept these simple challenges ? I don't think so . How does it matter to them ? Perhaps they, their family members and friends are all Supermen and Superwomen from an other planet .
Please ,please learned professors , before you open your mouths and mislead the common man , do your home work properly ! You have a great moral responsibility. Remember History and our future generations will damn you when its ultimately discovered that you have been spread false misleading info .
I am an ordinary citizen of India , and not a specialist or activist. However I do not wish the common folk of India to be misled into a false sense of safety. I am willing to change my opinion if these learned professors can conduct detailed objective studies using proper instruments , consult specialist doctors, examine medical reports of victims etc and share their finding with all of us ,in an unbiased manner.
With regards.
**********************************************************************
Girish Kumar
Professor, Electrical Engineering Department
I.I.T. Bombay, Powai, Mumbai - 400076, INDIA
Tel. - (022) 2576 7436, Fax - (022) 2572 3707
email- gkumar@ee.iitb.ac.in, prof.gkumar@gmail.com
Blog - http://profgirishkumar.blogspot.in/
**********************************************************************
IIT Professors call cell tower rules safe - DARK MONDAY of IIT by Neha Kumar
State mobile tower draft overrules BMC norms, resident's consent not mandatory
Very unfortunate: State mobile tower draft overrules BMC norms, resident's consent not mandatory - TOI 12th Oct 2013
Highlights
>Two tower per building not included in State Government Policy.
>70% resident consent not included in State Government Policy.
> State Policy of no benefit to common people.
Highlights
>Two tower per building not included in State Government Policy.
>70% resident consent not included in State Government Policy.
> State Policy of no benefit to common people.
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