Cellular operators lament that lack of awareness about emission level standards and opposition to installation of towers could hit introduction of 3G and 4G services. They said that the introduction of these services would require installation of 40 to 50 per cent more towers than the existing ones.
Speaking to the media, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) senior director VK Cherian and principal advisor Ramkrishna P said that India has introduced the most stringent norms for electromagnetic field exposure and its cellphone usage is 50 times safer according to international standards.
The duo maintained that the elders are more concerned about possible health problems due to use of mobiles than other citizens and this fear is based on wrong information.
Cherian said that there is a need for relying upon either experts, including engineering professors, while disseminating any information about mobile tower issues.
He said that the study carried out by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital have conclusively proved that there is no rise in brain tumour cases despite increase in mobile penetration.
Policy, portal soon
Cherian said that the state government is formulating a mobile tower policy that will take care of issues pertaining to installation of tower for efficient mobile service. Department of telecommunications (DoT), industry and other stakeholders will bring out a portal providing details on the issue.
Tall order
9,000 mobile towers are installed all over the country
1,500 towers is the approximate figure in state
Mumbai faces maximum problems regarding wrong notions and misconceptions about health-related problems due to use of cellphones
(As per COAI data)
