Fear of mobile tower radiation grips Delhi area

Asian News - Jun 12, 2010

New Delhi (IANS)- Residents in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh are demanding the demolition of a mobile phone tower in the residential area, alleging that electromagnetic radiation from it poses a threat to their lives.

Shubash Kapoor, a resident of BC Block in Shalimar Bagh (East), told IANS that an Idea Cellular tower has been erected on the terrace of the third floor apartment where he lives as a tenant, with the permission of the landlord.

As telecom giants pay huge rents, house owners allow them to set up mobile phone towers. "Why can't they look at other alternatives for revenue? Why are they playing with the lives of residents?" Kapoor asked.

Sudha Sharma, an angry resident, said: "Why don't they (mobile network companies) understand residents' problems? We have to suffer because of mobile towers."

"For over two years since the erection of the mobile tower, we have been suffering health problems like headache, fatigue and vomiting because of radiation. My six-year-old son is the worst-hit," she claimed.

"My doctor has confirmed these health issues are linked to radiation from the mobile tower," she added.

Sharma said their neighbour was suffering from cancer in the spinal cord, while another resident had complained of heart ailments.

According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi has over 5,000 mobile phone towers, of which 2,500 are illegally erected. Shockingly, most of these are in residential areas.

The MCD has threatened to seal illegal mobile phone towers because of possible health hazards. The Delhi High Court, which had earlier ordered the formation of a panel to study the health risks caused by mobile phone towers, put a stay on it and issued notice to the cellular operators association to file their responses by July 8.

"Despite the civic body's norms, many mobile towers are installed near residential colonies, schools, hospitals and dispensaries - all areas where they are not allowed," a civic body official told IANS.

Experts say mobile phone towers installed on top of buildings are a definite threat to human health.

"Exposure to electromagnetic waves generate heat in the body and high levels of radiation can even affect the enzyme system, cause mutation of DNA, protein structure and cell membranes," said Neha Kumar, an expert in industrial biotechnology, who has done research work on electromagnetic radiation.

"People who stay within the beam of the towers are the worst-hit. The continuous exposure to electromagnetic radiation could have a pernicious effect on our health," she said.

"The safest radiation exposure limit for a human being is 100 micro watts per square metre. But in many residential areas, the exposure limit is more than 1,000 micro watts per square metres," she added.

G.K. Jadhav, senior consultant in the oncology department of Apollo Hospital, said the worst-affected by mobile tower radiations are heart patients, particularly those who have pacemakers.

"We also attend to many brain tumour patients who are constantly exposed to electromagnetic radiation," Jadhav added.

However, chief co-operative affairs officer of Idea Cellular Rajat Mukarji denied the allegations, saying the towers installed by the company across the country are not harmful.

"The radiation levels are checked by a telecom engineering centre and they are at nominal levels; yet if the residents demand that the tower be removed, they should approach the company directly," he added.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), along with other central agencies, has proposed that the radiation exposure be limited to be 9.2 watts per square metre in India, though experts say this needs to be widely debated and analysed before implementation.

In some countries, the permissible limit in a radius between 50 and 300 metres varies from 0.001 to 0.24 watts per square metre.

"The level suggested in India is many times higher than that in the US, Switzerland, Poland and Russia," Kumar said.

S. Raghunath, senior scientist in the Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI) at Pilani, however, said: "As a scientist, I cannot believe that mobile towers emit such radiation. Radiation from mobile phones used for long duration is higher than those from mobile towers."

Read more: http://www.indiavision.com/news/article/scitech/65921/#ixzz0qrGswhIU

Mumbai - Radiation City 2

After the recent EMR survey at 100 locations in Delhi which found four-fifth of the city to be unsafe, the latest study conducted by Headlines Today and Tehelka found that Mumbai too is in danger from cell tower radiation and perhaps more.

9/10th of Mumbai lives in Unsafe Zones and these include city's major landmarks, schools, markets, hospitals and even the homes of Bollywood celebs which have dangerously high exposure to EMR.Only one-tenth of the city was safe - and those were areas where VVIPs live.

Residential areas hit

While 600 milliwatt/metre square (mW/msq) is the safe limit for EMR, the survey found many residential areas have far greater exposure.

Among them are Krishna Complex in Andheri, Nesco Colony in Jogeshwari, Raheja Sherwood Building in Goregaon, Ridhi Sidhi Apartment in Malad, Country Park in Kandivali and Durga Devinagar in Borivali East. All have EMR levels higher than 4,000 mW/msq.


Those working in Nariman Point face an EMR exposure between 1,500-2,500 mW/msq. Religious places visited by lakhs of people too are among the EMR hotspots. These include the Siddhivinayak Temple, Sri Swaminarayan Bhawan, Infant Jesus Church and Sri Sri Dham Temple (EMR levels higher than 4,000 mW/msq).

Hospitals at risk

Six of the eight hospitals surveyed were found to be highly unsafe, with radiation levels crossing 4,000 mW/msq. These are Bombay Hospital, Jaslok Hospital, Breach Candy Hospital, Lilavati Hospital, Nair Hospital and S.L. Raheja Hospital.

EMR is especially harmful for patients because of their low immunity. It can be fatal for those with pacemakers and Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICDs).

Bollywood celebs under threat

Bollywood too wasn't safe. The survey found actor Shah Rukh Khan's bungalow Mannat in Bandra having an EMR level of 1,550 mW/msq. The level at Salman Khan's house, which is close to Mannat, was found to be 1,850 mW/msq.

Amitabh Bachchan's bungalow in Juhu has EMR levels of 950 mW/msq. The area also houses other Bollywood stars such as Hrithik Roshan and Anil Kapoor.


Probably no part of Mumbai is safe unless you are going to the VVIP areas, such as Sea Wind, at Cuffe Parade, where Anil Ambani who heads Reliance Communications lives, the Mantralaya, the Congress Bhawan or the chief minister's residence at Malabar Hills.

Read full Story at : http://www.tehelka.com/story_main45.asp?filename=Ne120610coverstory.asp

Watch "Mumbai faces risk of mobile radiation" video coverage at Headlines Today - http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/headlines_today/ProgrammesShow?catName=Centre+Stage&video=0&counter=1&contentId=99862&catId=50

Extreme radiation in Mumbai - calls for concern for honey bees besides humans

Losing the buzz?
Pune Mirror - June 05, 2010

A recent study reiterates the effects of cellphone tower radiation on honey bees. Mumbai, with its 1,000-plus towers, has cause for serious concern.

Humans will not be the lone beneficiaries of a study recently sought by the chief minister on the ill-effects of radiation from cellphones and Mumbai's 1,000-plus cellphone towers.The initiative may just come to the timely rescue of the city's endangered honeybee population. And if you think that the bee is too small a concern to hit your radar, consider what Einstein said: If the bee disappears from the surface of the Earth, man would have no more than four years to live.

A recent experiment conducted by the Punjab University at Chandigarh reiterates the finding that honeybees are disappearing from their colonies because of the electro-pollution in the environment.Rahul Khot, entomologist and research assistant at Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), said, "We desperately need a Mumbai-specific study on the effects of Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) on the local bee population. With so many mobile towers and such extensive cell phone usage, bees are greatly endangered in our city."

The recent experiment, which observed bee colonies exposed to mobile phone radiation, concluded, "At the end of the experiment, there was neither honey nor pollen in the beehives. It resulted in complete loss of the colony." The study found that the queen bee's egg-laying capacity dropped drastically because of the radiation. The bees that went foraging could not find their way back to the beehives, according to the experiment.

The implications of these findings could be catastrophic for Mumbai. An expert from the BNHS said, "If the bees were to disappear from Mumbai the result would be disastrous. It would cause a huge imbalance in the entire ecological system. Bees are not just one of the key pollinating agents but also an important part of the food chain."

The Study Ved Prakash Sharma and Neelima Kumar of Punjab University compared the behaviour and biology of honeybees in colonies exposed to cellphone radiation and those unexposed to it. Two GSM cellphones of 900 Megahertz frequency were placed in call mode on two sidewalls of the bee hive, while two control colonies were left unexposed to cellphone radiation.The test colonies had an exposure for 15 minutes, twice a day, during the period of peak bee activity for three months. "A significant decline in colony strength and in the queen's egg-laying rate was observed.The behaviour of exposed foragers was negatively influenced by the radiation exposure," the study states. The duo analysed the phenomenon of what is known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).

While several factors affect the honeybee, the electromagnetic field induced by cell towers are unravelling to be a prime concern."The bees became quiet and still or confused as if unable to decide what to do. Such a response has not been reported previously," the study said.Bees, which have magnetite in their bodies, utilise the earth's magnetic field to navigate. Cell tower radiation interferes with this process.Such conclusions have been drawn earlier too by Dr Sainudeen Pattazhy, a professor of Zoology in Kerala's S N College in his last year's study along the same lines.

His widely-referenced report states, "In one experiment, a mobile device was placed adjacent to bee hives for ten minutes for 5 to 10 days. After a few days, the worker bees never returned home.The massive amount of radiation produced by towers and mobile phones is actually frying the navigational skills of the honey bees and preventing them from returning to their hives."

The diminishing bee population is a grave cause of concern even in the West. Research shows that USA's rapidly dwindling bee population is due to the "recent proliferation of electromagnetic waves for the sudden demise - often within 72 hours - of entire bee colonies."

Constant electromagnetic background noise is found to disrupt communication amongst the bees in UK and elsewhere as well.

A 2003 study in Germany points out that "GSM cell phone radiation in the frequency range of 900 MHz to 1800 Hz caused the bees to avoid the hive."

Why Mumbai should be worried

Cellphone Towers -Mumbai Mirror had reported in July 2009, with the help of an EMR-measuring agency, how five of the seven important locations in the heart of the city - like Mantralaya, Marine Drive, World Trade Centre and Breach Candy hospital - threw unacceptably high levels of mobile tower radiation.The city has a very high number of cellphone towers, and residents have complained about health hazards.

Loss of habitat - Khot points out that honeybees need a specific habitat for their survival. "The large fruit trees that once adorned the city have disappeared, the architecture of buildings has changed, the lofts and crevices have given way to glass facades. Where will the bees make hives now?" Wildlife biologist Anand Pendharkar says while Mumbaikars enjoyed their fix of honey, they were quick to destroy hives.

No food, no nectar - Pendharkar says, "Mumbai's residents prefer ornamental plants. As a result, 60 per cent of the city's green cover is comprised of exotic trees. For honeybees, these are as good as 'plastic' as they cannot draw nectar from them. Trees like Jamun, Jackfruit, Neem, Mango and flowers like Champa and others provide nectar for the bees. But we hardly find these varieties in Mumbai any more.”

Heat and pollution - Another factor endangering the bees is the increasing heat and pollution in the city. Deputy Director, Maharashtra Nature Park, Avinash Kubal says, "The honeybees cannot survive in extreme heat. A decade ago, you could see many hives around buildings. But we don't any more. Earlier, there was enough greenery in the city but now the concrete cover has increased, leading to soaring temperatures."

Similar cases have been observed in Bihar,Nepal and parts of US and UK: Read story at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Honey-production-falls-as-bees-dying/articleshow/5683667.cms and http://environment.about.com/od/biodiversityconservation/a/honeybees.htm

AAJ TAK: India's Best Channel for Breaking News from India, Latest Hindi News Headlines, Videos, World, Business, Sports, Bollywood News

AAJ TAK: India's Best Channel for Breaking News from India, Latest Hindi News Headlines, Videos, World, Business, Sports, Bollywood News

Delhi - Radiation City

From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 7, Issue 22, Dated June 05, 2010

1,800 CELL TOWERS IN 2006. 6,000 NOW. BARE MINIMUM RADIATION LEVELS IN 2006. A THOUSAND TIMES MORE NOW. THERE’S A NEW THREAT IN DELHI, REPORTS RISHI MAJUMDER


●Four-fiths of delhi lives in unsafe zones. Only about a fifth of Delhi lives and works in the safe zone and that is almost entirely where the VVIP's reside.The October Commonwealth Games could be most radiation-filled ever

●Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s home is a ‘borderline’ zone. The headquarters of the Congress is highly unsafe

●Cell radiation is slow poison. Effects begin with fatigue and could end in cancer. It is nearfatal for ones with pacemakers

●Shockingly, hospitals and schools are in high risk zones. Safdarjung, RML, Modern School and RBI are dangerous

●THE MEDICAL CONSEQUENCES

Hazards from EMR range from short to long term. A headache today could mean a tumour tomorrow

IMMEDIATELY Could hinder pacemakers and ICDs, which could be fatal for patients
3 Years - Appetite loss, sleep disorders, headaches, short term memory loss
4-5 Years - Tinnitus, muscle spasms, visual disorder, skin ailments
5-10 Years - Drop in sperm count, cardio and respiratory problems
8-10 Years - Acoustic neuroma, brain tumour, leukaemia

HOW SAFE ARE YOU?
EXCLUSIVE TEHELKA 100 SPOT RADIATION SURVEY. Read full Story at:
http://tehelka.com/story_main45.asp?filename=Ne050610coverstory.asp#

Cell Tower Radiation leading to Tumour- Coverage at Star News 27th May 2010

Cell Tower Radiation - Star News 27th May 2010

Survey initiated by Start News and Tehelka measured radiation levels from mobile towers at 100 locations in Delhi and found the radiation levels to be very high. Only one-fifth of Delhi where VVIPs live are under safe radiation zone. At the panel are: Dr. Sheli Sharma - Radiologist, Miss Shobha Choudhary - Managing Editor Tehelka, Jaffer Hakh - CEO, Cogent EMR and others

Cell Tower Radiation from Rajesh Chopra on Vimeo.

Today we all know that cell towers radiation is messing up our health, We should start thinking from now what effect will this have on our future generation, In what all ways will they be deformed and we should start intriguing initiatives accordingly. All the agencies that are issuing reports which states zero danger from these towers are carrying on research from funds provided by these telecom giants, thus these agencies are not to be trusted at all.

It’s about time that we comprehend that Government agencies and NGO’s won’t be doing anything about this hazard, that’s why it’s high time, we public should take this grave matter in our hands. It is important to make this issue so huge that government is left with no option.

Its government’s fault for spoiling these telecom giants and now these companies are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to playing with Law. Now they are not even bothered about law when it comes to installing these killer towers.

These days I have seen at many places A building’s roof has up to two or three towers on first floor and these towers in some cases are directly facing second floor of adjoining building like at Suvidha Kunj, Pitampura, Delhi, where humans live. Thus companies showing no regard for Human life whatsoever. Isn’t this making fun of the law formed for public? Today it is very easy to see this kind of installation in many places.

All cell towers should be removed from residential areas and placed where they don’t harm and are on proper height and if govt. fails to do this soon.

We public should take the matter in our own hands.
liveindia.com/news/mobilrtowerradiation.html

Dr. Martin Blank - Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer

Presentation by Dr. Martin Blank,Professor of Physiology & Cellular Biophysics and his research area includes Electromagnetic field effects on membrane enzymes and on the cellular stress response. Dr. Blank in his studies has found evidence for Stress protein synthesis: a cellular response to EMF interaction with DNA. He is also a contributor to the Bioinitiative report.

Homepage
http://www.physiology.columbia.edu/MartinBlank.html

Wireless Hazards Panel - Columbia University Law School

Wireless Hazards Panel - Columbia University Law School from ElectromagneticHealth.Org on Vimeo.

A panel discussion addressing wireless hazards, an emerging public health and environmental issue, happened at the Columbia University Law School. Speakers included Camilla Rees, founder of ElectromagneticHealth.org; Martin Blank PhD, Associate Professor at Columbia University Department of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics; and Whitney North Seymour, Jr. Esq., Attorney at Law and Co-Founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Multimedia Presentation on Wireless Health Hazards by ElectromagneticHealth.Org

Multimedia Presentation on Wireless Health Hazards from ElectromagneticHealth.Org on Vimeo.

Dr Magda Havas - On Cell /Transmission Towers and Your Health

Concern over cellphone radiation

Asian Age - 30April 2010


Telecom has always hogged headlines albeit for different reasons.

If once it was for the mind boggling money created by telecom companies, the other time it could be the cut-throat competition. This time, however, it is in news for an entirely different reason altogether: These companies are now being accused of causing harm to human health and environment through the radiation emitted by their telecom towers. The claim, however, has been strongly refuted by the telecom companies.

“Currently, there is no monitoring system to check whether the radiation from the mobile towers is crossing the permissible levels. A single tower now-a-days has more than one company’s equipment these days,” contends Telecom Users Group of India (TUGI) president, Mr Anil Prakash.

Elaborating his claim further, Prakash says research studies show that people who live within 100 metre radius of a mobile tower suffer from headache. “But they feel relieved from headache as they go away from the proximity of the tower,” he says. Trai has already floated a pre-consultation paper on “mobile tower design, radiation and other issues”.

With the number of mobile subscribers shooting high and resultant popping up of more telecom towers, analysts emphasis the need for a thorough study on the allegations about mobile towers emitting radiation.

Responding to Trai’s preconsultation paper, TUGI said that the telecom operators are allowed to pump maximum 20 watts of electro magnetic radiation per carrier per sector from a cell site. "However, in order to get a better coverage, these operators pump 60-80 watts of energy per carrier per sector. The studies indicate that due to such high intensity of electromagnetic radiation the soft membrane of eggs of sparrows and crows fractures and thus their eggs never hatch,” it said.

The NGO says that they are reports about the disappearance of sparrows and crows in urban areas and one could easily infer that the reason is the uncontrolled electromagnetic radiation. “Some study predicts that honey bees will disappear by 2020 as they loose their navigational sense in high intensity electromagnetic field. It is predicted by the experts that brain and eye cancer will become epidemics in years to come,” said TUGI.

In its response to the Trai paper, Bharti Airtel said that the research by a number of organisations like World Health Organisation, British Medical Association, Royal Society of Canada have concluded that radio waves from mobile phones and towers are not harmful to health.

“Great myth is being created in the public domain that the wave of mobiles are
harmful for the health. Due to this myth, the residential societies are either not allowing the telecom operators to put the sites or now forcing them to vacate the premises,” it added.

The Consumer Care Society secretary, Mr Ravindra Nath Guru, said that the mobile companies in India have been asked to do selfcertification that they are following the radiation norms.

“In India, this concept of self-certification never works. There should be an audit by third party,” added Mr Guru.

He also flagged the issue that in order to get better coverage the mobile companies may be increasing the power beyond the allowed limits. “There should be a study on this issue by medical council along with consumer forums,” added Mr Guru.

View Article at : http://epaper.asianage.com/ASIAN/AAGE/2010/04/30/ArticleHtmls/30_04_2010_011_022.shtml?Mode=0

Mobiles linked to brain tumours as smoking to cancer

TIMES OF INDIA - Sep 27, 2008

Washington: The potential link between mobile phones and brain cancer could be similar to the link between lung cancer and smoking — something tobacco companies took 50 years to recognize, according to a warning by US scientists.

Researchers are currently split on the level of danger the biological effects of the magnetic field emitted by cellphones poses to humans. However, society “must not repeat the situation we had with the relationship between smoking and lung cancer where we ... waited until every ‘i’ was dotted and ‘t’ was crossed before warnings were issued,” said David Carpenter, director of the Institute of Health and Environment at the University of Albany, in testimony before a subcommittee of the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform. “Precaution is warranted even in the absence of absolutely final evidence concerning the magnitude of the risk” — especially for children, said Carpenter. Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute — one of the top US cancer research centers — said that most studies “claiming that there is no link between cellphones and brain tumors are outdated, had methodological concerns and did not include sufficient numbers of long-term cellphone users.” Many studies denying a link defined regular cellphone use as “once a week”, he said. “Recalling the 70 years that it took to remove lead from paint and gasoline and the 50 years that it took to convincingly establish the link between smoking and lung cancer, I argue that we must learn from our past to do a better job of interpreting evidence of potential risk,” said Herberman.

A brain tumour can take dozens of years to develop, the scientists said.Carpenter and Herberman both told the committee the brain cancer risk from cellphone use is far greater for children than for adults. The committee were shown several European studies, particularly surveys from Scandinavia — where the cellphone was first developed — which show that the radiation emitted by cellphones have definite biological consequences.

For example, a 2008 study by Swedish cancer specialist Lennart Hardell found that frequent cellphone users are twice as likely to develop a benign tumour on the auditory nerves of the ear most used with the handset, compared to the other ear. A separate study in Israel determined that heavy cellphone users had a 50% increased likelihood in developing a salivary gland tumour.In addition, a paper published this month by the Royal Society in London found that adolescents who start using cellphones before the age of 20 were five times more likely to develop brain cancer at the age of 29 than those who didn’t use a cellphone.“It’s only on the side of the head where you use the cellphone,” Carpenter said.

DROP THAT CALL

#A 2008 Swedish study found frequent cellphone users are twice as likely to develop a benign tumour on the auditory nerves of the ear most used with the handset, compared to the other ear

#Israeli study says heavy mobile users have 50% increased likelihood of developing a salivary gland tumour

#A paper published by the Royal Society in London found that adolescents who start using cellphones before the age of 20 were five times more likely to develop brain cancer than those who didn’t use mobiles

Warning, Your Cell Phone May Be Hazardous To Your Health Gear + Gadgets: GQ.com

Warning, Your Cell Phone May Be Hazardous To Your Health Gear + Gadgets: GQ.com

Politician Milind Deora shows his concern on Cell Phone radiation

"Be Mobile Without Risk"

TIMES OF INDIA - Milind Deora, Apr 3, 2010

A young boy was killed recently when the electronic discharge from his cellphone came in contact with a high-tension overhead wire. Tragic as it was, the incident brought into sharp focus a related issue we've been silent on for too long: cellphone radiation exposure may well be a serious health hazard. After preliminary inquiries, i urged the telecommunications ministry to make it mandatory for all cellphone companies to clearly communicate the potential dangers of cellphone radiation exposure. Both the radiation from handsets and tower-based antennas carrying the signals are already the subject of numerous studies linking prolonged cellphone use to brain tumours, genetic damage and other serious conditions.

Disconcertingly, children and young adults below 18 who constitute a major chunk of the cellphone market are especially vulnerable because their thinner and more porous skulls make it easier for radiation to penetrate the mid-brain. By the time they reach their 20s and 30s they would have exposed themselves to enough radiation for the effects, if any, to show.

Ultimately, research must continue to determine whether or not radiation emitted from cellphones and phone antennae causes brain tumours. But everyone agrees that when the endpoint is a cancer that can take decades to form, we are talking about waiting 10 or 20 years for an answer. I find that unacceptable, especially with lives on the line. So let's turn this around, err on the side of caution and take pre-emptive policy measures now before we cross the Rubicon and have an unprecedented potential health crisis on our hands.

It is not my intention to stir up a hornet's nest and cause undue alarm; we desperately want our cellphones to be safe. Our lives are so thoroughly integrated with wireless technology that we don't want to think about the impact. I will still use my cellphone after having written this and i suspect everyone else will after reading it. But my fear is that, just as with cigarette smoking, if there is indeed a cumulative risk to using a mobile phone, it is possible that users won't be aware of it until it's too late. The science may be inconclusive but that doesn't mean the threat isn't real.

Have we seen enough red flags to justify public warnings even as we wait for the science to evolve? International precedent ought to be instructive here. Governments across the European Union have enacted new safety standards related to electromagnetic radiation. The French government warns against excessive use of mobile phones, especially by children. Germany advises its citizens to minimise cellphone and Wi-Fi use, and the European Environment Agency wants exposures to be reduced. Several other nations have recommended measures to minimise exposure and advise limited use for children.

Here in India, the Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC, the technical arm of the department of telecommunications) proposes that manufacturers display the specific absorption rate or SAR level of their cellphones in the handset menu and comply with global emission standards. The TEC also proposes that cellphone ads not feature children and pregnant women. I welcome these preliminary guidelines but i think we may need to go beyond them. SAR levels can vary widely and, in any case, the jury is still out on whether that is the right metric to measure cellphone safety. Cellular damage, it seems, can even occur at low temperature levels that would not register on the SAR scale.

The cellphone industry must share the responsibility of risk communication and management. It is critical to do so in a domestic market projected to reach 600 million cellphone subscribers in a year's time including huge swathes of unaware and illiterate consumers in rural and remote corners that manufacturers have successfully penetrated. It also has to be said that insensitive practices of industry in siting base stations within sight of schools and hospitals and whose antennas appear to be aimed directly at buildings where people live, is unacceptable and bound to raise a public outcry.

By the same token, government in conjunction with the scientific community must evolve a credible communications strategy and give the public a sensible assessment of safety and risk.

It is time we had an honest and robust debate about this both in Parliament and in the public square and find creative solutions to address public fears and mitigate the risk. This will require a sustained and joint effort by all stakeholders including industry, government and the public.

The choices are difficult but the costs of action and inaction could be a game changer. No one can know what the "right" decisions will be, but i do know that policy must decide that question. This is a job for democratic politics, informed by, but not shackled to, an insightful but imperfect scientific enterprise. We need to find ways of making cellphone use safer and limit usage by children certainly but we'll never get to that stage if we don't acknowledge the potential dangers first. In the meantime, i'm going to take a cue from the nearest teenager: texting and tweeting is safer than talking.

( The writer is a member of Parliament.)

Mobile towers threaten honey bees in Kerala: Study

DNA - August 31, 2009

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As in the case of the house sparrows, mobile towers are posing a serious threat to honey bees, hitting apiculture, which is a source of additional income to rural folk across Kerala, says a study.

Electromagnetic radiation from the mobile towers and cell phones were potent to kill worker bees that go out to collect nectar from flowers, suggests a study by environmentalist and Reader in Zoology, Dr Sainudeen Pattazhy.

Considering the recent plunge in beehive population reported from different parts of Kerala, the trend, if remedial measures are not taken, could even wipe out bees from Kerala within a decade, Pattazhy, who teaches in SN College at Punalur in Kollam district said.

In one of his experiments he found that when a mobile phone was kept near a beehive it resulted in collapse of the colony in five to 10 days, with the worker bees failing to return home, leaving the hives with just queens, eggs and hive-bound immature bees.

Electromagnetic waves emitted by towers were strong enough to cripple the "navigational skills" of the worker bees, who play a vital role in sustaining bee colonies, he said.

A few months ago, a study conducted by a team of environmentalists led by Pattazhy in different spots in Kollam district in Kerala, had found that radiation from mobile towers threatened the very existence of home sparrow, which live in colonies close to human habitats even in urban areas.

Parackal Chacko, a bee keeper from Wayanad, said it was true that there had been mass destruction of bee hives in the area but it was thought to be due to climatic shifts and attack by hostile insects and pests. "The angle that mobile towers could be a source of threat should be probed," he said.

Pattazhy, however, said though it required detailed study, it could reasonably be understood that insects and smaller animals were "easily penetrated" by microwaves radiated by mobile towers and phones.He claimed to have seen changes in the behavioural pattern of bees when they make hives close to mobile towers.

Besides helping farmers earn an additional income through honey and bee-wax, honeybees do great service in pollinating flowers and plants, a vital process that sustains vegetation.

In a colony of an average size,there would be about 20,000 to 31,000 bees comprisinga queen and a few hundred drones. But90 per cent of the population is made up of the workers.

Recently a sharp decline has been noticed in commercial bee population in Kerala. The official explanation has been that this happens as bees are susceptible to diseases and fall prey to attacks by wasps, ants, and wax moth and that constant vigilance on the part of the bee keepers can check it.

The farmers have also complained that introduction of exotic varieties of bees to promote apiculture have also done harm as they are unsuitable to climatic conditions of the area.

Also, bees and other insects have survived and evolved complex immune system over a span of millions of years. "Considering this, it is vital to ponder as to why they suddenly die out. Naturally, the question would point to human-made factors, Pattazhy said.

The vanished bees are never found, but die far from home. Bee keepers said several hives have been abruptly abandoned.

If towers and mobile phones further increase, honeybees might even be wiped out in 10 years due to bio active radiation, causing significant alternation in the physiological function of living organisms.

"The need of the hour is to check unscientific proliferation of mobile towers and promote more studies and come out with practical solutions", Pattazhy added.

In Kerala there are about six lakh bee hives and 1 to 1.25 lakh people are engaged in apiculture,mostly as an allied activity. A single hive can yield four to five kg of honey.

2 Billion May Suffer from Cell Phone Cancer by 2020

ANI/Business Wire India
June 22, 2008

NEW DELHI: The studies and survey conducted by Australian Health Research Institute indicates that due to billions of times more in volume electromagnetic radiation emitted by billions of mobile phones, internet, intranet and wireless communication data transmission will make almost one-third of world population (about two billions) patient of ear, eye and brain cancer beside other major body disorders like heart ailments, impotency, migraine, epilepsy.

According to the reports the tissues of children are tender and are likely to be more effected by use of any wireless gadget and devices and they should not be encouraged to use mobile phone.

The fatal and volumetric effects of electromagnetic radiation emitted mainly by mobile phones, mobile phone antenna, tower, mast, transmission tower, microwave oven, wireless devices, system and equipment.

These dangerous effects have been certified and confirmed repeatedly by many leading medical and scientific research institutions of the world including Ministries of health of various governments, W.H.O. and now have been admitted and confirmed by Govt. of India in their recent press releases.

The attached image shows and proves about the serious ill effects of E.M. radiation released by Radiation Nuclear and Safety Authority of FINLAND as to how E.M. radiation emitted by mobile phones damages the various body cells and causes incurable and fatal diseases.

Read story at - http://www.infowars.com/2-billion-may-suffer-from-cell-phone-cancer-by-2020/

2 Months On & Govt Still Hunts For Experts To Study Claims Of Illegal Mobile Phone Towers & Radiation Risk

Times of India - February 26, 2010

Cell tower watchdog to be set up in 10 days

Mumbai: Two months after promising to set up a committee to study the harmful effects of radiation from mobile towers,the state government has managed to do little.The reason The apparent dearth of expertise in the field of electromagnetic radiation.The state is scrounging for experts who can sit on a technical committee needed to assess the damage,if at all,caused by mobile towers erected atop buildings.Ministers claim they are trying to cobble together a team within the next week itself.
The issue was raised by BJP legislator Vinod Tawde in the legislative council during the last assembly session held in December.We have given an assurance to the House,but we want experts and not people who represent the industry, said state health minister Suresh Shetty.He said that a five-member technical committee will be set up within a week to 10 days to look into the medical aspects.
Radiation risk is a hotly debated topic across the world,with the US Congress declaring only a few months ago that while theres fear about radiation from mobile phones\towers increasing the risk of cancer,there was no substantial evidence to prove it.The fear seems to have arrived on Indian shores.The state boasts of a Mobile Tower Grievances Forum that has taken upon itself the task of educating ministers and the common man about the health hazards associated with mobile towers.Rules regarding setting up of mobile towers are laid down by the BMC and deal with a building and establishment.
Says Dr Shashank Joshi,endocrinologist with Lilavati Hospital who wrote a research paper on mobile radiation in the medical journal JAPI last year,Both mobile towers and phones are a cause for concern due to the radiation they emit.But mobile towers are definitely a cause for greater concern than phones.We need proper rules like in the West to guide their installation. His paper listed out the gamut of illnesses arising out of mobile radiationfrom psychiatric illnesses to hormonal imbalances.Manoj Londhe,a member of the Mobile Tower Grievances Forum who was instrumental in the issue being raised in the legislative council,said there is an increasing incidence of residents living on the top floor of buildings with mobile towers suffering from different kinds of cancer.Another member cites the theory of melatonin hormone,which states that the hormone,produced mainly during rest at night,is responsible for neutralising free radicals that have the ability to destroy cellular composition and thus increase the risk of cancer.He said that his office building had a mobile tower.I was on leave for a week and did a test to detect the levels of melatonin hormone.It was 26 pg/ml.I repeated the test after a couple of days of returning to work and the levels had dropped to 20 pg/ml.A drop in these hormones is a trigger for cancer.Most telephone companies have over 50,000 towers each already.The rush to install mid- and smaller towns will now begin,say experts,as Indias mobile customer base is poised to increase from 500 million to 700 million in the next two years.Efforts to talk to mobile companies were not fruitful.But mobile companies have time and again stated that the fears are exaggerated.Their positionas ratified by the ICMRs committee set up in 2005 is that height of mobile towers should be 36 m so that they dont affect the person on the street.The argument put forth by naysayers is that mobile towers set up on buildings are rarely 36 m from the top-most flats.In other words,people living on the top floor are sitting ducks.

IIT professor builds device to reduce risk of radiation

DNA - February 9, 2010

Mumbai: How to shield your building from the harmful affects of radiation? Ask Girish Kumar, the IIT Bombay professor, who has invented a shield that can be installed in concrete structures to block radiation.



A developer has asked Kumar to install his radiation shield in a 300-m building near the TV tower in Worli.

“Within a kilometre, the effect of radiation on human body is significant. This particular building (Palais Royale) in Worli is 800 metres south of the TV tower. Sree Ram Urban Infrastructure has approached me to shield the apartments in this building,” said Kumar. He said a TV tower emits 40 kw radiation.

The field test, done on January 14, showed that the shield reduced impact of radiation by 75% to 90%. Kumar is planning to place four shields on the building, a feet away from the windows, doors and balconies (up, down, left and right). “Shielding can be embedded in the walls during construction. This way it will not be visible. To my knowledge, it’s the first time a builder has thought of installing such shields,” he said.

Kumar said since the area is surrounded by FM radio towers, they are also planning to do an FM shielding. An FM tower emits 5 kw radiation.

“We plan to start talking to other builders to do shielding for all buildings in the area which are exposed to radiation from the TV or FM towers. Also, buildings are coming up within a 300-400 m area of the TV tower. So, it’s important to create awareness,” he said.

Kumar, a faculty at the institute’s electrical engineering department, had launched the radiation shield, a device that absorbs electro-magnetic radiation effectively, in 2008. While devices available in the market absorb only the radiation which falls on them, Kumar’s shield absorbs it from the whole surrounding.

Several concerns in the UK and the US have also shown interest in the product. “When I first launched this technology, there was a lot of resistance from industry. But now, people have started understanding the implications of exposure to radiation,” he said.
According to a paper published by Kumar, the short-term and long-term affects of radiation include memory loss, sleep disruption, headache, depression, irritability, ill-concentration, and appetite loss. “All are related to changes in electrical activity in the brain. The other effects include Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, DNA damage, irreversible infertility and prostate cancer.

Read story at: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_iit-professor-builds-device-to-reduce-risk-of-radiation_1345287

Biological Effects of Cell Tower Radiation on Human Body

Conference Paper Presentation- 'Biological effects of Cell Tower Radiation' - presented by me and Prof Girish Kumar at International Symposium on Microwave and Optical Technology (ISMOT 2009).

Biological Effects of Cell Tower Radiation on Human Body

Cell Tower radiation has become of extreme concern as we are exposed to them 24x7 and one cannot do much if the tower antenna is mounted right on top of your home/school/office building etc. In India, currently (2009) there are about 3.75 lakh cell towers installed and the numbers are expected to rise to 4.25 lakh towers by 2010. Radiation level measurements were carried out at various locations and the levels were found to be far above the recommended values.

Common complains like Sleep disruption, Headache, Depression, Concentration, Memory loss, behavior, discomfort, irritability, nausea, dizziness, appetite loss, muscle spasms, numbness, tingling, altered reflexes,seizures, paralysis, psychosis, stroke- all related to changes in the electrical activity of the brain have been on a rise. Similarly increased cases of Alzheimer’s , Parkinson's disease, infertility, child leukemia, brain tumor has been associated with the continuously emitting cell tower radiation.

On reviewing several epidemiological and experimental studies on harmful effects of Cell Tower Radiation on health of human and animals, we recommend safe radiation levels up to 50 μW/m2 , with a upper limit as 100 μW/m2. Towards the end, details of "Radiation Shield" -instrument designed to absorb radiation between frequency 800 to 4000 MHz have been given.

Cell Tower Radiation Effects

Conference Paper - 'Biological effects of Cell Tower Radiation' - Neha Kumar,Prof Girish Kumar,International Symposium on Microwave and Optical Tehcnology (ISMOT 2009).


Cell Tower radiation has become of extreme concern as we are exposed to them 24x7, and one cannot do much if the tower antenna is mounted right on top of your home/school/office building etc. Radiation level measurements were carried out at various locations and the levels were found to be far above the recommended values.

Cell Tower Radiation Effects