HC seeks govt views on cell phone towers on houses

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the view of the Delhi Government and the Centre on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on the installation of cell phone towers on residential buildings. Harish V Nair reports.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the view of the Delhi Government and the Centre on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on the installation of cell phone towers on residential buildings.

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The PIL, based on reports published in the Hindustan Times on the health hazards posed by such towers, also sought urgent steps to reduce the radiation emitted by the towers.

Delhi government, Union health ministry and the department of telecommunication have been asked to file their replies by August 9.

Petitioners Sugriva Dubey and Namita Roy sought a direction for implementation of the Prime Minister-headed Inter Ministerial Committee's recommendations on the issue. The committee had suggested to reduce the radiation to 450 mw/sqm but, the PIL argued, the government did not implement it.

The bench asked the Centre to file the report of the inter-ministerial committee and its suggestions on the issue by the next date of hearing.

"The common man is being kept in dark and the effect of mobile towers is not being brought to the knowledge of the residents of the locality where the towers have been installed and hence, a large number of persons are being exposed to diseases such as cancer," Dubey argued.

According to the petition, "The radiation values and norms in other countries are more stringent and the radiation levels allowed through such towers is much lower but in our country there are no separate rules or norms for residential areas, schools, offices, hospitals and play grounds to prevent exposure to radiation."