India’s permissible limit for radiation levels from mobile phone towers is 900 times higher than the safe limit of 0.5 milliwatts per square metre, suggests a global report on health risks from exposure to wireless technology radiation, which was released on Sunday.

The Bioinitiative 2012 report is brought out by 29 independent scientists and health experts from across 10 countries, including India, Sweden, Italy, US and Russia. This is the second edition of the report, which was first published in 2007.

On September 1, India lowered its radiation emission limits for mobile phone towers to 450 milliwatts/sq m from 4,500, but as per the report, the levels are still too high. At least five new studies have detected biological effects when radiation level touches between 0.03 and 0.5 milliwatts/sq m, the report states. “Researchers report headaches, concentration and behavioural problems in children; sleep disturbances, headaches and concentration issues in adults.”

The report said most safety standards are too high to protect even healthy populations.

“The radiation may have adverse effect on fertility and reproduction,” said Professor Jitendra Behari from School of Environmental Sciences, Jawa-harlal Nehru University, Delhi, who participated in the initiative.