Lok Sabha Question No. 2835 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-11
Subject: Mobile Towers in Andhra Pradesh
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2835 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  MARCH, 2020

## MOBILE TOWERS IN ANDHRA PRADESH

## 2835. SHRI N. REDDEPPA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of number of mobile towers including its frequency ranges, set up during each of the last three years in Andhra Pradesh, district-wise including for Chittoor district;
- (b) the number and location of residential areas within five kilometre radius of these installed mobile towers; and
- (c) whether the Government is aware of any study or investigation concluding the presence of Cancer Clusters  within  the  same  radius  of  these  installed  mobile  towers  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

(a) &(b) District-wise  number  of  Base  Transceiver  Stations  (BTSs)  added  during  the  last  three years including Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh is given at Annexure .  Generally, for providing the network coverage, BTSs are being installed in the vicinity of the residential as well as other areas where telecom connectivity are required.

The present emission norms as laid down for BTSs installed at various mobile towers in India are as follows:

| Frequency Range    | E-Field Strength (Volt/Meter)   | H-Field Strength (Amp/Meter)   | Power Density (Watt/Sq.Meter)   |
|--------------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| 400MHz to 2000 MHz | 0.434 f½                        | 0.0011 f½                      | f / 2000                        |
| 2 GHz to 300 GHz   | 19.29                           | 0.05                           | 1                               |

(f is frequency in MHz)

(c) No such study is in the knowledge of Department of Telecommunications (DoT). However, with regard to impact of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) emissions from mobile towers on health, World Health Organization (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'.

In  India, an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), setup in 2010 to examine the effect of Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) Radiation from BTSs  and mobile phones, after examining various national and international  studies  on  the  environmental  and  health  related  concerns  due  to  EMF,  had,  inter-alia, 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.'

The main  conclusion from the WHO  review  is  that EMF  exposure  below  the  limits recommended in the International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection(ICNIRP) international guidelines donot appear to have any known consequences on health.

DoT has been monitoring global developments and has already taken necessary steps and adopted stricter norms for safety from EMF emission from mobile towers. In India, norms for exposure limit for the Radio Frequency Field (Base Station Emissions) have been fixed ten times more stringent than the safe limits prescribed by ICNIRP and recommended by WHO.  Government of India has also put in place a well-structured process and adequate mechanism to ensure that TSPs strictly adhere to these prescribed norms.

Annexure referred to in reply of paras (a) &(b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2835 to  be  answered  on  11 th   March,  2020  raised  by  Hon'ble  Member  of  Parliament  Shri  N. Reddeppa regarding 'Mobile Towers In Andhra Pradesh'

## District -wise number of BTSs added during last three years in Andhra Pradesh

| S. No.        |   Nameof District |   BTS Added in 2017 |   BTS Added in 2018 | BTS Added in 2019   |
|---------------|-------------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| 1 Anantapuram |               910 |                1107 |                 490 |                     |
| 2 Chittoor    |               855 |                 861 |                 622 |                     |
| East Godavari |              2870 |                 964 |                 552 | 3                   |
| Guntur        |               701 |                 966 |                 662 | 4                   |
| Kadapa        |             -1512 |                 356 |                 382 | 5                   |
| Krishna       |               627 |                 720 |                 684 | 6                   |
| Kurnool       |               825 |                 782 |                 412 | 7                   |
| Nellore       |               716 |                 518 |                 486 | 8                   |
| Prakasam      |               773 |                 805 |                 580 | 9                   |
| Srikakulam    |               443 |                 397 |                 464 | 10                  |
| Visakhapatnam |               738 |                 584 |                 514 | 11                  |
| Vizianagaram  |               355 |                 430 |                 373 | 12                  |
| West Godavari |               775 |                 914 |                 577 | 13                  |

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