kesav 127 Report post Posted May 22, 2010 (edited) DoT instructs all service providers to implement radiation norms on their base stations as prescribed by ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation protection). :clap: :clap: All BTS should be ICNIRP complaint otherwise it will be shutdown. http://dot.gov.in/as/2010/800-15%202010-VAS.pdf Edited May 22, 2010 by kesav Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted June 10, 2010 DoT extends the timeline for self-certification by another 6 months. http://dot.gov.in/as/2010/as_08.06.2010.pdf New date for compliance is 15.11.2010 Hope atleast this date would be a deadline and not a guideline. Let us see the DoT's capability of enforcement. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted August 18, 2010 (edited) DoT re-emphasize that the last date of compliance is 15.11.2010. Towers for which self-certification is not avilable at DoT by 15.11.2010 will face penalty as outlined. http://dot.gov.in/as/2010/as_13.08.2010.pdf Edited August 18, 2010 by kesav Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KanagaDeepan 1,084 Report post Posted August 18, 2010 I guess it is another tharik pe tharik thingy, just like in MNP... Almost all private operators are NOT following radiation norms... If DoT is really going to be strict, then we are going to get BAD in-bulding coverage, call drops, etc... Then almost all pvt operators have to stop PPS tariffs.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted August 28, 2010 (edited) DoT instructs all the BTS installed before 18.05.2010 must be self-certified by 15.11.2010. DoT has relaxed the clause of submitting layout and photograph of sites for the first submission on 15.11.2010. However, in the next annual sbumission which is due on 15.11.2011, all sites' layout and photograph must reach DoT. BTS installed on or after 18.05.2010 must be self-certified before radiating. DoT says BSNL/MTNL will not have any special treatment. http://dot.gov.in/as/MNP/MNP_27.08.2010.pdf Kudos to DoT for following up the matter with seriousness. :clap: Edited August 28, 2010 by kesav 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handler 0 Report post Posted August 28, 2010 CWG, MNP, etc etc...... everything misses deadlines in India...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted September 3, 2010 The following is the further communication from DoT on the subject. http://dot.gov.in/as/2010/as_03.09.2010.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted October 26, 2010 on the related news, Telcos need environment nod for towers THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cellphone operators will soon have to seek sanction from the Wildlife Division under the Ministry of Environment and Forests before installing their communication towers. “This will be in addition to the permission from the Defense and Aviation Ministries ,” A K Panigrahi, additional director in the Ministry of Telecommunications has said. He was speaking at the first meeting of the Expert Committee set up by environment minister Jairam Ramesh to study the possible impacts of communication towers on birds and bees in New Delhi. “Such measures were necessary to check any harmful impact of radiation ,”Panigrahi said adding that the mobile towers in India radiate much lesser than that prescribed by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The Telecom ministry, he pointed out, had put in place a team to study the effects of mobiles on human health. The Expert Committee headed by Asad Rahmani, director of Bombay Natural History Society, meanwhile , decided to entrust Coimbatore-based Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History with the task of preparing a report focusing on frequency band effects, biological disturbances, navigation and seasonal migration of birds, bees and other wild animals within two months. The report will be discussed in the next meet of the Committee. Participants at the meet also observed that studies abroad had shown that radiation from the towers could affect even pollination of flowers besides migration of birds. According to Naresh Kapial of the WWF, radiation effect in humans was felt more in organs with low blood circulation like the eyes and testicles. The meeting deliberated on the findings of Kerala-based researcher Sainuddin Pattazhi who had done detailed studies on the impact of radiation from towers on the bee population . He pointed out that the CDMA technology was much safer than the GSM as it emits lesser levels of radiation. source :: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/Telcos-need-environment-nod-for-towers/articleshow/6814190.cms Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted November 1, 2010 Random testing of telecom tower radiation from Nov 16th:Govt NEW DELHI: Worried about reports of a clear link between serious ailments and strong radiation emanating from mobile towers, the government has taken a tough stance and will start random testing of towers next month, with a huge penalty proposed in case of non-compliance with norms. "Nationwide random testing of radiation emitted by mobile towers will commence from November 16, 2010, onwards by the Department of Telecom (DoT) and operators not complying with defined norms will be punished," Minister of State for Telecom and IT Sachin Pilot said. The minister recently held a meeting with the telecom companies and other stakeholders and had ordered self- certification of radiation levels at all towers by the telcos by November 15, 2010. The telcos were asked to submit the certificates to the TERM (Telecom Engineering and Resource Monitoring) cells of the DoT by November 15, 2010. Pilot had earlier warned the telcos that non-compliance would result in the levy of a fine and penalty of Rs 5 lakh for each mobile tower. The electromagnetic emissions of mobile towers in India are governed by guidelines drawn from the recommendations of the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The government has made service providers liable for strict adherence to internationally accepted limits for mobile tower radiation. Despite the government's tough stand, telecom operators are lobbying hard to establish that there is no linkage between disease and radiation from telecom towers, citing studies by scientific bodies like the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a premier medical research organisation. The telecom operators, through industry lobbies Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India (Auspi), have written to the DoT downplaying fears of a linkage between radiation from cellular towers and its ill effects on health. In fact, they have cited a recent study by ICRIER which pointed to a significant positive correlation between an increase in mobile penetration and growth in output. But the government is not convinced. Congress leader Manish Tewari had recently called for a scientific study on the health hazards of radiation from mobile towers to be conducted by the ICMR. The stakes are big, as the demand for passive telecom tower network infrastructure is expected to spike, especially when telecom operators are in the process of rolling out third-generation (3G) mobile telecom services. source :: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/Random-testing-of-telecom-tower-radiation-from-next-monthGovt/articleshow/6846046.cms It's good to hear DoT is on pursuit of this issue. Kudos Kudos Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted November 13, 2010 DoT clarifies again that there's no give-up wrt 15th November 2010 deadline for submitting self-certification of BTS. http://dot.gov.in/as/2010/as_03.11.2010.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted November 16, 2010 TERM cells to start testing BTS randomly or through complaint from public. The detailed procedure is laid vide the below DoT's letter to TERM cells. http://dot.gov.in/as/security/sw_02.11.2010-1.pdf If a BTS is found non-complaint, a penalty of Rs. 5,00,000 to be extracted. If the service provider does not ensure compliance within a month of such identification of non-compliance then BTS will be shutdown. Service providers to submit updated BTS database every month within 10th of the following month. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted January 25, 2011 DoT clarifies that any upgradation to the site either HW or SW will require fresh certification. Fresh certification has to be submitted within 2 weeks of upgradation. After fresh certification, TERM cell may test the site if it felt necessary. http://dot.gov.in/as/2010/as_10.12.2010-3.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted February 3, 2011 Mobile phone radiation poses health risks: Government panel New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) Next time you chat away for hours on your mobile phone, think about the grave health risks from the emitted radiation. It causes loss of memory, lack of concentration, digestive and sleep disturbances, says a government panel on hazards posed by electromagnetic radiation. According to a study by the eight-member inter-ministerial committee, comprising representatives from the health ministry and the departments of biotechnology and telecommunications, startling violations of radio frequency levels according to international standards were found. The localised Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) as per the Indian guidelines standard is 2 watt per kg, averaged over a six minute period. According to the study however, the radiation effects are more in Indians than Europeans due to the tropical climate in India, low mass index and low fat content. 'With higher SAR values of mobile handsets, the public could potentially receive much higher radio frequency exposure. We have recommended that SAR levels be lowered down to 1.6 watt per kg, as prescribed by the Federal Communication Commission of United States (US),' a committee member said. The report also recommends the use of hands-free technology to lower physical contact with the body and the cell phone and the mobile phones not adhering to standard levels of energy radiation should be banned. It recommended children, adolescents and pregnant women should avoid excessive use of mobile phones. 'People having active medical implants should keep their cell phone at least 30 cm away from the implant,' the report advises. Apart from health risks, the study also indicates that mobile phone radiation creates environment hazards like disappearance of butterflies, bees, insects and sparrows from big cities. 'Mobile towers should not be installed near high-density residential areas, schools, playgrounds and hospitals,' the report said. The recommendations submitted by the committee will be used to chalk out a national policy and better guidelines on electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation for telecom towers. source :: http://www.sify.com/news/mobile-phone-radiation-poses-health-risks-government-panel-news-health-lcdtupcdbje.html Report :: http://dot.gov.in/miscellaneous/IMC%20Report/IMC%20Report.pdf Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raccoon 53 Report post Posted February 3, 2011 Beware of Nokia phones then. Most of the new ones I'v checked have surprisingly high SAR values. Motos seem to be close behind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted February 4, 2011 Display cell emission levels: Govt NEW DELHI: Mobile companies will now have to list out the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) levels of different handsets to the buyers. The department of telecommunications is going to issue orders, after due consultations with mobile handset manufacturers, to prominently display the SAR levels - which is a measure of the amount of radio frequency energy absorbed by the body when using a handset - on the packing, minister of state for telecommunications and information technology, Sachin Pilot, said on Thursday. He said the government is also going to launch a nationwide crackdown on companies which have been flouting its guidelines on electromagnetic emissions from mobile towers and have failed to self-certify the mobile towers. Such companies will be fined Rs 5 lakh for each non-compliant base station. "In my view, people buying phones have all rights to know the SAR level of a particular product before buying them. The inter-ministerial committee has recommended that this should be followed strictly by all companies given the health hazards some phones - with higher SAR levels - can cause. We have asked all stakeholders - mobile manufacturers, citizen groups and NGOs - to give their response on the view and based on that we will issue directions for major display of SAR level. We have asked the stakeholders to submit their responses by February 25," said Pilot. He said that mobile handsets being imported will also be required to have self-certification on radiation standards. More than 90% mobile phone users do not know about SAR level. It is usually given in the user manual, which in wrapped inside the packet or put up on the website of the company. An inter-ministerial committee formed by the ministry of communications and information technology, department of telecommunications, Government of India which recently submitted its report found that higher the SAR level of a handset, there are more chances of health hazards to the user including loss of memory, lack of concentration, disturbance in the digestive system and sleep disturbances. Pilot said that more than one lakh Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) mounted on mobile towers for mobile communications in the country have failed to self-certify themselves as per the international standards prescribed by the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the government is going to penalize such companies. "They failed to meet two deadlines set for self-certification and now we are going to penalize such companies. Radiation from mobile handsets and mobile towers - the inter-ministerial panel constituted by us has concluded - cause health hazards and it is important to take steps to check the same," said Pilot. He said the government panel is seriously considering lowering the radio frequency exposure limits, as recommended by the committee. "The committee has suggested that the radiation limits need to be lowered to 1/10{+t}{+h} of the existing level. The recommendations have been put on the DoT website for response from the stakeholders, citizen groups and NGOs. A decision in this regard will be taken soon," he said. The minister added the department is strengthening Telecom Engineering and Resource Monitoring Cells ( TERM) to ensure effective monitoring of mobile towers. Rajan Matthews, director general, Cellular Operators Association of India claimed the recommendations were not backed by conclusive scientific evidence. "We are going to demand appropriate justification for the findings related to health hazards caused from cell phone use," he said. source :: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Display-cell-emission-levels-Govt/articleshow/7421185.cms Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karthik R 246 Report post Posted February 5, 2011 Apart from health risks, studies also indicates that mobile phone radiation creates environment hazards like disappearance of butterflies, bees, insects and sparrows from big cities. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kesav 127 Report post Posted June 6, 2011 Telcos scurry to conform to norms NEW DELHI: Indian telecom companies are scurrying to conform to the government's stipulated health norms in light of growing evidence on the cancerous nature of cellphone radiation. There has been an amendment in the Access Service Licenses — mandating self-certification radiation levels of cellphone towers — to ensure compliance with WHO-endorsed guidelines of International Commission for Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The stricture led 5, 88,645 out of 6, 05,859 base stations to get self-certification till March 31, 2011. Speaking to TOI, Union minister of state for communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot said non-compliance to the stipulated radiation limits carries a penalty of Rs five lakh for every mobile tower. Talking on the cellphone could cause a malignant form of brain cancer, said International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently. It classified radiation emanating from cellphones alongside gasoline engine exhaust, lead and DDT as "possibly carcinogenic to humans". IARC said, "The WHO/IARC has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (group 2B), based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, associated with wireless phone use." Pilot said, "We are not going to compromise with radiation limits since it has health-related concerns. The department of telecommunications set up an Inter Ministerial Group in August, 2010, to evaluate the evidence, revisit radiation guidelines for mobile towers and adopt guidelines for radiation emission by cell phones. This group has recommended radiation limits more stringent than that of the United Nations." He added, "We had called for self certification of all mobile towers. Almost 90% of the towers have completed doing so. We have extended their time frame for six more months. However, the radiation limits they are complying to are the old ones. Once new compliance levels kick in, finalized by the Department of Telecom (DoT), they will have to conform to them too." The Inter Ministerial Group in its report made some salient recommendations about mobile handsets. The group proposed revising the limit of 2 watts per kilogram averaged over 10 grams tissue to 1.6 watts per kilogram averaged over 1 gram tissue. It also called for mandatory declaration of radiation level on each mobile handset. As far as mobile towers are concerned they recommended radiation norms which are ten times as strict as the existing ones- from f/200 watts per square meter to f/2000 watts per square meter. The group said mobile towers should not be installed near high density residential areas, schools, playgrounds and hospitals. "The localized specific absorption rate (SAR) value as per the Indian guidelines is 2 watt per kg, averaged over a six minute period and using a 10 gram average mass. With higher SAR — a measure of the amount of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body while using a phone of mobile handsets — the public could potentially receive much higher radiofrequency exposure. We have recommended that SAR levels to be lowered to 1.6 watt/kg, as prescribed by the Federal Communication Commission of US," said experts. Girish Kumar, professor in department of electrical engineering at IIT Bombay, whose research on hazards of cellphone use was taken as a reference for the committee decision, said, "There is a 40% increase in the risk of brain cancer among teenagers using cell phones for long periods. The younger the child, the deeper is the penetration of electromagnetic radiation as children's skulls are thinner." Another Jawaharlal Nehru University study found that the exposure to radiation from mobile towers and cellphones could have an adverse impact on male fertility and pose health hazards by depleting the defence mechanism of cells. The report also suggested that children, adolescents and pregnant women should avoid excessive use of cellphones. People should use hands-free technologies to minimize the contact of the head with cellphone. "People having active medical implants should keep their cellphone at least 30 cm away from the implant," it added. source :: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Telcos-scurry-to-conform-to-norms/articleshow/8730447.cms Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tirthankarbanerjee 0 Report post Posted July 12, 2012 I am not too sure of the real effects of the cell phone and tower radiations on human health. There is a lot of mixed information available online about the issue. It bothers me now because there are talks of a cell tower to be installed in a neighboring building and the people staying around seem to have a negative opinion on it. Can anyone share some valid facts on the issue? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Venkatagiri 53 Report post Posted August 15, 2012 Great News: India setting new mobile radiation norms from Sept 1, 2012 NEW DELHI: India is all set to clamp down on excessive radiation emanating from cellphone handsets and towers. According to the new radiation norms coming into effect from 2012 September 1, the radio frequency (RF) exposure limits are to be lowered to 1/10th of the existing level. It will also become mandatory for the specific absorption rate (SAR) — the rate at which RF energy is absorbed by the body — to be embossed and displayed on the mobile handset by the manufacturer. SAR level for mobile handsets will also be restricted to 1.6 watt/kg, averaged over a mass of 1 gram of human tissue. Mobile handsets manufactured and sold in India or imported will now be checked for SAR limit compliance. More: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/new-mobile-radiation-norms-from-sept-1/articleshow/15499902.cms Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
