'Need separate guidelines for cell towers in Sobo'

Mumbai city guardian minister Jayant Patil, who held a meeting on the issue of health hazards from cell phone tower radiations on Tuesday, has said the state government should form separate guidelines for cell phone towers for urban sprawls like south Mumbai.

Mumbai city guardian minister Jayant Patil, who held a meeting on the issue of health hazards from cell phone tower radiations on Tuesday, has said the state government should form separate guidelines for cell phone towers for urban sprawls like south Mumbai.

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He will also ensure the policy on cell phones will consider the impact of cell phone tower radiation.

The draft policy released by the urban development department in July 2011 does not include issues such as the permissible height of towers, radiation levels allowed and rents paid by companies to residents etc.

The meeting took place following a representation by south Mumbai residents, part of a group named 'Citizens against health hazards from mobile towers'. The group claims several families in homes exposed to cell phone towers have cancer cases

Experts from BARC, IIT Mumbai and doctors from JJ Hospital were present at the meeting.

"We should restrict the mushrooming of cell phone towers in the city and have designated areas considering the city's density," Patil said.

He has asked officials to compile all the residents' suggestions and has called for another meeting in 10 days.

"When we went to the Centre, they told the state government was the monitoring authority," said PR Munshi, a resident of Raj Niketan.