Cellular towers not a health hazards: Operators Association

Chandigarh, Sep 6 (UNI) The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) while pointing out that cellular towers were the key to the expansion of the telecom sector, dismissed reports that these were potential health hazards.

''It is a misconception that cellular towers were potential health hazards'' Mr T V Ramachandran, Director General, COAI said while addressing a media conference here in which top represntatives of leading telecom companies, who are members of COAI, were present.

''As a matter of fact, radio frequency emissions from base stations is some 50,000 times lower than those causing any ill effects to health, as per the international guidelines, set by various bodies'', he said.

While supporting his view point, Mr Ramachandran claimed that extensive research studies done both nationally as well as internationally, had opined that there was no conclusive evidence of any health ailment caused due to elecromagnetic radiations emitted from mobile base stations.

In fact even the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in June 2006 had ruled out potential health hazards due to mobile base stations, he added.

Refering to the demand of all telecom majors of erecting more cellular towers in the country, Mr Ramachandran underlined the importance of augmenting wireless infrastructure to keep pace with the explosive growth of mobile subscriber base. He stated that cellular towers were the key infrastructure element used to propagate radio frequency signals.

'' In a cellular infrastructure, cellular towers played the key role of handing over the call from cell to cell to locate the mobile subscriber and terminate the call'', he added.

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