Lok Sabha Question No. 189 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-02-24
Subject: Radiation from Towers
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RAGHAV LAKHANPAL, K. ASHOK KUMAR

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.189

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th  FEBRUARY, 2016

## RADIATION FROM TOWERS

189.   SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL:

SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR:

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

- (a) the  details  of  permissible  limit  of  radiation  from  mobile  towers  in  India  and number of cell towers, that are yet to get radiation certificate operator-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has the records of the mobile towers installed without prior clearance from concerned bodies and local authorities in various parts of the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Uttar Pradesh, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the details of mobile towers sealed/removed for violation of norms along with the tower under scanner; and
- (e) the action taken by the Government against erring operators and the steps taken to enforce the telecom service providers to comply with the operating norms?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Madam, the present permissible limit of radiation from mobile towers in India for antennae (Base Station) electromagnetic frequency (EMF) emissions for general public exposure are as follows:

| Frequency Range   | E-Field Strength (Volt/Meter)   | H-Field Strength (Amp/Meter)   | Power Density (Watt/Sq.Meter)   |
|-------------------|---------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| 400MHz to 2000MHz | 0.434f ½                        | 0.0011f ½                      | f/2000                          |
| 2GHz to 300GHz    | 19.29                           | 0.05                           | 1                               |

(f = frequency in MHz)

All  new  BTS  sites  are  required  to  start  radiating  commercially  only  after  self certificates  are  submitted to  relevant Telecom  Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Cells of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that they are compliant to EMF radiation norms.

(b) & (c) As per the existing policy for installation of towers, Wireless Planning & Coordination (WPC) wing of DoT issues siting clearance for installation of mobile towers for each and every site from the point of view of interference with other wireless users, aviation hazards and obstruction to any other existing microwave links. However, before installation  of  tower,  the  Telecom  Service  Providers  (TSPs)  have  to  obtain  necessary right  of  way  related  clearances  from  concerned  local  authorities/  State  Government bodies also.  Various  local  bodies/State  Government  have  formulated  their  own  policy regarding  grant  of  such  permissions  for  installation  of  mobile  towers.  DoT  does  not maintain the information about grant of such permissions by State Government bodies / Local authorities.

(d) & (e) In order to ensure compliance to the prescribed norms of EMF radiation from base transceiver stations  (BTSs) installed at mobile towers, the extensive audit of self-certificates  being  submitted  by  TSPs  and  BTS  sites  are  carried  out  by  Telecom Enforcement Resource & Monitoring (TERM) field units of DoT. Additionally, the BTS sites against which there are public complaints are also tested by TERM Cell. In case, any BTS site is found to violate the prescribed EMF norms, actions are taken to put a penalty  of  Rs.  10  lakh  per  BTS  per  incidence  including  closing  of  BTS  site,  if  the violation  persists.  As  on  31.12.2015,  a  total  of  2,57,457  number  of  BTSs  have  been tested  by  various  TERM  Cells  to  cross-check  EMF  radiation  exposure  norms,  out  of which a total of 192 BTSs have been found non-compliant to EMF radiation norms. A total penalty of Rupees 10,80,00,000/- have been imposed on these  BTSs by DoT and one BTS in Haryana license service area has been removed due to violation of EMF norms.

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