Lok Sabha Question No. 534 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-02
Subject: Radiation Norms
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU, CHHOTELAL, PRATAPRAO GANPATRAO JADHAV, RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE, PRALHAD VENKATESH JOSHI, SAKUNTALA LAGURI, ANOOP MISHRA, KANWAR SINGH TANWAR, HARISH CHANDRA MEENA, RAMSINH PATALYABHAI RATHWA, DUSHYANT CHAUTALA, RANJANBEN BHATT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.534 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND  DECEMBER, 2015

## RADIATION NORMS

## 534. DR. GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU:

SHRI CHHOTE LAL:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRIMATI RAKSHATAI KHADSE:

SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI:

SHRIMATI SAKUNTALA LAGURI:

SHRI ANOOP MISHRA:

SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR:

SHRI HARISH MEENA:

SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA:

SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA:

SHRIMATI RANJANBEN BHATT:

Will  the  Minister  of  COMMUNICATIONS  AND  INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the  Government  strictly  observes/routinely  checks  the  radiation  norms specially  for  private  companies  providing  mobile  services  covering  large  areas  under one mobile tower by overstretching and bye-passing the radiation norms causing harm to human health and environment;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps proposed by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether  the  monitoring  agencies  are  not  well  equipped  to  measure  Electro Magnetic Radiation (EMR) of mobile towers in any of the 30 Telecom Enforcement and Resource  Monitoring  (TERM)  cells  and  depend  blindly  on  data  provided  by  mobile operating companies;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  equip  the  monitoring  agencies  and engage trained professional therein to have a check on adverse impact of EMR?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) &(b) Yes  Madam,  one  of  the  major  functions of  Telecom  Enforcement Resource  and  Monitoring  (TERM)  Cells  is  to  evaluate  the  compliance  to  the  Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) exposure norms of the Mobile Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) of all the Telecom  Service Providers (TSPs) as prescribed by Department  of Telecommunications (DoT).

Contd……2/-

In this regard, TERM Cells carry out audit of up to 10% of the BTSs annually on random basis to cross-check EMF radiation exposure norms in addition to conducting testing  of  BTSs  based  on  the  complaints  received  from  various  sources  including general public.

In addition to above, to ensure that the EMF radiation levels of all the BTSs in the country are within permissible limits, DoT has instructed TSPs to submit self certificates for all the existing BTSs sites on biennial basis that they are compliant to EMF radiation norms.  Further,  self  certificates  are  also  required  to  be  submitted  by  TSPs  before commercial radiation of new BTS as well as on up-gradation of existing BTS.

As  on  30.09.2015,  a  total  of  2,33,035  number  of  BTSs  have  been  tested  by various TERM Cells, out of which a total of 186 BTSs have been found non-compliant to EMF  radiation  norms.  Suitable  penal  action  as  prescribed  has  been  taken  against defaulting TSPs on account of these violations.

TERM Cells impose a financial penalty of Rs. 10 lakhs on defaulting TSPs for non-compliant BTSs found during testing as per the prescribed DoT guidelines which acts  as  a  deterrent  for  TSPs  to  keep  the  radiation  levels  within  prescribed  limits. Further, if the BTS/shared BTS site is not made compliant to the EMF radiation norms within  one  month  (30  days),  the  same  shall  be  shut  down  in  addition  to  the  levy  of financial penalty as mentioned above.

(c) &(d) No, all the testing related to measurement of EMF radiation to cross check the  compliance  of  EMF  radiation  norms  is  being  carried  out  by  the  officers  of  TERM Cells itself and are not dependent on TSPs for providing the measurement data.

(e) The  testing  of  the  mobile  BTS  sites  is  carried  out  by  suitably  technically qualified personnel posted in various TERM Cells across the country. Further, to well equip  the  TERM  Cells,  it  is  stated  that  tender  for  procurement  of  EMF  Strength Measuring Instruments and other Devices has already been floated and the process of procurement has been initiated.

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