NEW DELHI: Following the guidelines of the Union Inter-ministerial Committee on the ill-effects of mobile phone radiation, the Delhi Government is planning to enforce guidelines pertaining to production of mobile phone and erection of mobile phone towers in the capital.
Subsequently, these guidelines may be replicated in all states. The issue of mobile radiation was discussed in a high-level meeting chaired by state Health Minister A K Walia and WHO officials on Wednesday. Walia admitted that “effects of mobile phone radiation were discussed”, based on guidelines from the Ministry of Communications and IT, and WHO experts.
Walia is expected to take up the matter with Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on the measures to be taken to reduce EMF radiation. Currently, there are conflicting reports regarding this issue, Walia said. However, he added that the Delhi Government was planning to formulate guidelines regarding mobile phone equipments and towers based on instructions received from the Ministry of Communications and IT.
The Union Inter-ministerial Committee on EMF radiation issued some guidelines regarding EMF, a copy of which is with Express.
The guidelines state that the specific absorption rate (SAR) of mobile handsets shall be limited to 1.6 kw/kg averaged over a 6 minutes period and taken over a volume containing a mass of 1 gram of human tissue. The SAR level should be displayed on the handset, and shall be made available to the consumer on the point of sale. The guidelines also state that mobile handset booklet shall contain safety precautions stating that the users should use a wireless hands-free system with low-power Bluetooth emitter.
Among other guidelines it also states that cell phone should be used only when the signal was good and also make sure that the phone has low SAR. People having active medical implants should preferably keep the cell phone at least 15 cm away from the implant.
The guidelines for mobile base stations state that the exposure limit of radio frequency field should be lowered to one tenth of the existing level. Provision shall be made for continuous online monitoring and display of radiation level in mobile network frequency range at prominent places in metros and cities. Moreover, new technology low-power transmitters shall be installed with inbuilt solutions for the future expansion of telecomnetwork.