Mobile radiation threat can be reduced: Panel

The inter-ministerial committee formed by the Central government to assess the possible adverse health effects of radiation from cellphones and towers, has called for urgent revision of existing radiation norms.

It has stated that revisions in the norms were required to make them more suited to the country's conditions and environment.

It has, however, cautioned against rushing to the conclusion that cellphones were actually harmful because of the radiation of RF energy. Studies conducted on their effects so far were few in number and not well-designed, it has stated.

The committee has, however, made several recommendations to make mobile phones and cellphone towers safer. Its key recommendations are: strict restriction on installation of cellphone towers in densely populated areas; lowering the permitted radio frequency (RF) energy levels to just one-tenth of the current levels; reduction in permitted specific absorption rate (SAR); and setting up of a monitoring network.

Specific absorption rate (SAR) is the unit of measurement for the amount of RF energy absorbed by the human body when using a mobile phone.

The inter-ministerial committee comprised officials from the ministry of communications and information technology, and the department of telecommunications of the Central government. It had recently expressed serious concern over the powerful electromagnetic fields (EMF) or electromagnetic waves emitted from mobile phone towers.

The current cellphone radiation levels allowed in the country may be alright for western countries where people have higher fat levels than people living in tropical countries, it has stated. The bodies of Westerners can absorb RF radiation more effectively because they have more fat in comparison to the bodies of Indians.

India currently follows the International Commission on Non-ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) limits, which also have the approval of the World Health Organisation (WHO). But the committee has warned that the ICNIRP limits are not sufficiently safe for the Indian population and that they should be reconsidered in the light of its report.

The hot tropical climate of India, the smaller and less fat content in the body of an average Indian as compared to Europeans, and the higher concentration of RF radiation may place Indians at risk, the committee's report states.

The report notes that several studies had raised concerns about possible risk of radiation's adverse effects. These reports have noted the link between exposure to radio frequency radiation and occurrence of health disorders including the impact on cell growth, cell differentiation, immune system, the reproductive and cardiovascular systems. The report, however goes on to caution against rushing to the conclusion that cellphones were actually harmful as these studies were not well-designed and their number was not statistically significant.

Nevertheless, the report has suggested that India should adopt revised radiation levels for mobile phones and cellphone towers, in keeping with environmental and physiological factors. "Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Russia, Italy, Poland, China and Belgium have adopted even stricter guidelines," the report states.

In India, there is currently no restriction on the location of the towers. As a result, there has been a mushroom growth in mobile tower infrastructure, which is contrary to the practice in developed countries. The overall levels of RF emissions to which the population as a whole is exposed in India had increased drastically, the report states.

The department of telecom (DoT) has requested framing of mandatory provisions and regulation of SAR value for mobile handsets and has asked that the Central government to consider amending the Indian Telegraph Act-1885 to enforce this.

The report has asked the government to provide for measuring centres for online monitoring of radiation levels round the clock at prominent places in cities. It has suggested that the data thus collected should be sent to a central server for further analysis and processing.

To raise awareness among users, every mobile manufacturer's booklet must carry warnings and give options such as whether the user would prefer wireless hands-free system to reduce radiation to the head, and low handset SAR.

People having active medical implants should keep their cellphones at least 30 cm away from the implant at all times and not use a mobile phone when a normal wired phone is available, the report states.