Telecom towers in residential areas health hazard, says PAG

Shimla, Oct 18 (UNI) A voluntary organisation has welcomed the state government's decision to ban installation of telecom towers in residential areas, saying that electromagnetic radiations from these towers are causing several health problems to people in the surrounding areas.

''Several research papers published in the country and west show that electromagnetic radiations cause cancers, brain tumors, Alzheimer, Parkinson's disease, high blood pressure, memory problems, headache, nausea and dizziness,'' People's Action Group (PAG) president Surinder Sharma told UNI here.

He said the telecom companies were making a mockery of government policy on installation of towers in residential areas by erecting towers without no objection certificate (NoC) from the government.

All towers erected on rooftops of the buildings without government NoC should be dismantled immediately, he said, adding that they have also filed an application with the Shimla Municipal Corporation, seeking information on NoCs given to the telecom companies on installing towers.

Mr Sharma said the tower installed on one building roof comes very close to the other building on a higher gradient since the houses in the hill were built one above the other, unlike in plains where all the houses had almost the same height.

The tower erected in a residential locality would have harmful effects in a radius of around half a km since people live in a cluster, he said.

He said since one tower was catering to the requirement of many companies, it was emitting high electromagnetic radiations that were causing a large number of diseases.

Besides, the telecom companies have never disputed the fact that the radiations have harmful effects, he said.

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