PIL filed to remove mobile phone towers in TN

Chennai, Oct 21 (UNI) The Madras High Court has issued notices to the state and central governments on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition, seeking to remove all cell/mobile phone towers atop residential buildings, and to permit such towers only in vacant sites.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice A K Ganguly and Justice F M Ibrahim Kalifulla, passing the orders yesterday, directed the state and central governments to reply within three weeks.

In his petition, social worker Traffic Ramasamy said cell towers were being put up indiscriminately in the absence of any rules and regulation to streamline, control and supervise them.

The petitioner submitted that these towers affected the structural stability of building in congested residential and commercial areas, and added that in the event of accidents they would cause human casualties.

''These towers radiated electromagnetic waves that posed serious health hazards to people,'' he contended.

The petitioner wanted the court to direct the authorities to formulate rules for regulating erection of cell towers. They should be directed to permit such towers only in vacant lands, after taking into consideration proper structural standards and the radiation specifications of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

UNI XR SP SSC1030