Lok Sabha Question No. 2353 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-26
Subject: Electromagnetic Radiations from Mobile Towers
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH, PARVESH SAHIB SINGH, KANWAR SINGH TANWAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2353 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATIONS FROM MOBILE TOWERS

2353.   DR. PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH: SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH:

SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  has  conducted  any  empirical  scientific  study/research  on adverse impact of electromagnetic radiations from mobile towers and mobile phones on human health especially minor children and other living beings and if so, the details and the outcomes thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  scientific  studies/researches  conducted world  over  on  aforementioned  subject  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reaction  of  the Government thereto;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  generate  awareness  among  people about the deleterious effects of electromagnetic radiations and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  identified  Base-Transreceiver  Stations  (BTS)  violating electromagnetic norms and if so, the details thereof including the number of such BTS identified during each of the last three years and the current year, State/ UT-wise along with the corrective steps taken by the Government to curb harmful radiations from BTS and mobile phones?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) & (b) Madam, to  examine  the  effect  of  Electromagnetic  Field  (EMF)  emissions  from base  stations  and  mobile  phones  an  Inter-Ministerial  Committee  (IMC)  was  constituted  on 24.08.2010. The IMC in its report has indicated that most of the laboratory studies were unable to find a direct link between exposure to radio frequency radiation and health, and the scientific studies  as  yet  have  not  been  able  to  confirm  a  cause  and  effect  relationship  between  radio frequency radiation and health.

Also, a committee, constituted by Hon'ble High Court Allahabad including Members from IITs of Kharagpur, Kanpur, Delhi, Roorkee, Bombay and from other scientific institutions of the country including Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi, in their report submitted in 2014, has, inter-alia, noted - ' ...On the basis of  scientific evidences ,  studies  and  reports  available,  it  has  been  found  that  there  is  no conclusive evidence about the stated dangers of EMF radiation from mobile BTS tower.. .' The Committee  has  noted  that  ' there  are  no  conclusive  evidence  to  establish  any  causal  link between the effect of EMF radiation from BTS with biological effects described in cell models, animals or humans, and any possible resulting health effects .'

Further,  a  joint  initiative  has  been  launched  by  Science  and  Engineering  Research Board  (SERB)  under  Department  of  Science  &  Technology  (DST)  and  Department  of Telecommunications (DoT), wherein nineteen research proposals, have been initiated to study possible impact of EMF exposure from mobile towers and handsets on life. i.e. Humans, Living Organisms, Flora & Fauna.

DoT  has  been  following  relevant  International  agencies/  organisations  such  as  World Health  Organization  (WHO),  International  Commission  on  Non  Ionizing  Radiation  Protection (ICNIRP),  International  Advisory  Committee  (IAC)  on  EMF,  International  Telecommunication Union (ITU) and various Study Groups under ITU for monitoring global developments and has already taken necessary steps and adopted stricter norms for safety from EMF radiation from mobile towers and handsets.

It  is  to  highlight  that  the  WHO  has  referred to  approximately  25,000  articles  published around the world over past 30 years, and based on an in-depth review of scientific literature, has concluded - ' current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic fields '.

(c) DoT  has  taken  several  steps  to  generate  awareness  among  the  public  about  EMF radiation  such  as  Nation-wide  Awareness  Programme,  distribution  of  pamphlets/  information brochure  on  various  topics  related  to  EMF,  publishing  detailed  information  on  EMF  related issues on the website of DoT, advertisements in newspapers, launch of 'Tarang Sanchar' portal etc.

(d) Yes,  Madam.  The  information  about  number  of  Base  Transceiver  Stations  (BTSs)  is maintained License Service Area (LSA) wise. LSA-wise details of the number of BTSs violating prescribed EMF radiation norms on actual testing is enclosed as Annexure A.

Further,  DoT  has  taken  various  steps  to  ensure  that  Telecommunications  Service Providers  strictly  adhere  to  the  norms  prescribed  including  submission  of  self-certificate  by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) before commercial start of BTS site and extensive audit of compliance of self-certificates & BTSs. In case, any BTS site is found violating the prescribed EMF norms, action is taken to levy  a  penalty  of  Rs.10  lakh  per  BTS  per  incidence  including closing of BTS sites, if violation persists.

## ANNEXURE - A

## LSA-WISE DETAILS ABOUT NUMBER OF BTSS VIOLATING PRESCRIBED EMF NORMS ON ACTUAL TESTING

| S. No.        | Name of LSA       |   Number of non-complying BTSs (on radiation norms) for last 3 years and current year (till 31.10.2018) i.e. 2015,2016,2017 and till 31st Oct 2018. |   Number of non-complying BTSs (on radiation norms) for last 3 years and current year (till 31.10.2018) i.e. 2015,2016,2017 and till 31st Oct 2018. |   Number of non-complying BTSs (on radiation norms) for last 3 years and current year (till 31.10.2018) i.e. 2015,2016,2017 and till 31st Oct 2018. | Number of non-complying BTSs (on radiation norms) for last 3 years and current year (till 31.10.2018) i.e. 2015,2016,2017 and till 31st Oct 2018.   | Number of non-complying BTSs (on radiation norms) for last 3 years and current year (till 31.10.2018) i.e. 2015,2016,2017 and till 31st Oct 2018.   |
|---------------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.        | Name of LSA       |                                                                                                                                                2015 |                                                                                                                                                2016 |                                                                                                                                                2017 | Till 31st Oct'2018                                                                                                                                  | Total                                                                                                                                               |
| 1             | Andhra Pradesh    |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 2             | Assam             |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 3             | Bihar             |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 4             | Delhi             |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 5             | Gujrat            |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 6             | Haryana           |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 7             | Himachal Pradesh  |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 8             | Jammu &Kashmir    |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 9                                                                                                                                                   | 9                                                                                                                                                   |
| 9             | Karnataka         |                                                                                                                                                   6 |                                                                                                                                                  29 |                                                                                                                                                  42 | 20                                                                                                                                                  | 97                                                                                                                                                  |
| 10            | Kerala            |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 11            | Kolkata           |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 12            | Madhya Pradesh    |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 13            | Maharashtra       |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                  10 | 0                                                                                                                                                   | 10                                                                                                                                                  |
| 14            | Mumbai            |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 15            | North East        |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   8 | 0                                                                                                                                                   | 8                                                                                                                                                   |
| 16            | Odisha            |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 17            | Punjab            |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 18            | Rajasthan         |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 19            | Tamilnadu         |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 20                                                                                                                                                  | 20                                                                                                                                                  |
| 20            | Uttar Pradesh (E) |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 21            | Uttar Pradesh (W) |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   0 | 0                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                     |
| 22            | West Bengal       |                                                                                                                                                   6 |                                                                                                                                                   0 |                                                                                                                                                   7 | 0                                                                                                                                                   | 13                                                                                                                                                  |
| Grand Total = | Grand Total =     |                                                                                                                                                  12 |                                                                                                                                                  29 |                                                                                                                                                  67 | 49                                                                                                                                                  | 157                                                                                                                                                 |

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