Lok Sabha Question No. 1579 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-29
Subject: Radiation from Mobile Towers and Handsets
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: NINONG ERING, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, RAJESH KUMAR DIWAKAR, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, Shrirang Appa Barne, LAXMAN GILUWA, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, CHANDRAKANT BHAURAO KHAIRE, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, DHARMENDRA YADAV, RAM CHARITRA, ANIRUDHAN SAMPATH, ANOOP MISHRA, KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1579**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 29** **TH** **JULY, 2015**

**Radiation from Mobile Towers and Handsets**

**1579. 	SHRI NINONG ERING:**

**SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:**

**SHRI RAJESH KUMAR DIWAKER:**

**SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA:**

**SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:**

**SHRI LAXMAN GILUWA:**

**SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:**

**SHRI CHANDRAKANT KHAIRE:**

**SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:**

**SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:**

**SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:**

**SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:**

**SHRI RAM CHARITRA NISHAD:**

**DR. A. SAMPATH:**

**SHRI ANOOP MISHRA:**

**SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR:**

**SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:**

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

(a) 	the norms/guidelines laid down for radiation level/limit for mobile towers along with the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) for mobile handsets;

(b) 	whether the cases of violation of the said guidelines/norms by Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and the mobile manufacturing and marketing companies have come to the notice of the Government;

(c) 	if so, the details thereof and if so, the action taken by the Government against the offences including the penalty imposed upon them;

(d) 	whether the Government has  doubled the penalty for violation of such norms/guidelines and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) 	whether despite missing several deadlines TSPs have not submitted self certification for over one cell tower and if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government against them, service provider-wise?

ANSWER

**THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)**

Contd…2/-

-2-

(a)	Madam, the present prescribed norms for the electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation limits adopted in India are as follows:

1. Limits/levels for antennae (Base Station) EMF emissions for general public exposure:
| 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)

1. Specific absorption rate (SAR) levels for mobile handsets are 1.6 Watt/Kg averaged over a mass of 1 gram of human tissue.

(b) & (c)	As of 31.05.2015, Total 9,08,353 Base Transceivers Stations (BTSs) have been setup in the country out of which186 Base Transceivers Stations (BTSs) were found to be violating the radiation norms. A penalty of  Rs 10.80 Crores have been levied for such BTSs.

(d)	Yes, the Government has doubled the penalty for non-compliance of actual EMF radiation norms violation of Electro-Magnetic Field (EMF) from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh per BTS per incidence. Instructions in this regard were issued on       20-1-2013.

(e)	A total of 875 self certificates were not submitted  by various TSPs (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited - 492, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam limited - 163 & Reliance Communications Limited - 220) at the time of last deadline for submission of biennial self certificates i.e. 31-03-2015 . For non-submission of self certificates within stipulated deadline, suitable penal action has been taken by Telecom Enforcement, Resource & Monitoring (TERM) Cells as per existing DoT guidelines.

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