Telcos scurry to conform to norms

NEW DELHI: Indian telecom companies are scurrying to conform to the government’s stipulated health norms in light of growing evidence on the cancerous nature of cellphone radiation.

There has been an amendment in the Access Service Licenses — mandating self-certification radiation levels of cellphone towers — to ensure compliance with WHOendorsed guidelines of International Commission for Nonionizing Radiation Protection. The stricture led 5,88,645 out of 6,05,859 base stations to get self-certification till March 31, 2011.

Union MoS for communications and IT Sachin Pilot said non-compliance to the stipulated radiation limits carries a penalty of Rs 5 lakh for every mobile tower. Talking on the cellphone could cause a malignant form of brain cancer , said International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It classified radiation emanating from cellphones alongside gasoline engine exhaust , lead and DDT as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” .

Pilot said, “The DoT set up an inter ministerial group in August 2010, to evaluate the evidence, revisit radiation guidelines for mobile towers and adopt guidelines for cell phones. This group has recommended radiation limits more stringent than that of the UN.”