Even as there is growing concern among Mumbaikars over electromagnetic (EM) radiation from cellphone towers, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has gone slow in giving clearance for new towers.

An estimated 1,000 applications for new towers are pending with the BMC, while around 1,800 towers have been declared illegal. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) is planning a meeting with the chief engineer of the BMC’s Development Planning and Building Proposal department to gauge reasons for the delay and resolve them. “Not having mobile towers cannot be a solution.

With the state Legislative Assembly in session, the civic administration has suggested that a special ordinance be passed to lift the stay order on illegal mobile towers in the city.

Proposing various guidelines in the draft policy for installation of mobile towers, the BMC said the HC orders directing status quo had stopped the civic administration from taking action against unauthorised mobile towers. “The stay order on BMC must be lifted so that it can perform the duties of dismantling 50 per cent of the tower antennaes which are illegal,” the draft policy said.

Telecom operators in the city have been issued notices for their cell towers emitting more than the prescribed radiation.

Vodafone India has received the ‘Green Telecom Company of the Year 2012’ award in recognition of its initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

JAIPUR: In support of the telecom industry, Union minister for communication and information technology Kapil Sibal has told Rajasthan government about the negative impacts of removing cell phone towers in the state.

In his communique to the chief minister Ashok Gehlot in the last week of November, Sibal expressed his fear that compliance of high court orders could hit the critical communication requirement in the state. Sibal said communication is vital for law and order in the state.

Looking at the agony of a man, who approached the Rajasthan high court seeking action against mobile companies alleging that the radiation from nearby towers caused brain tumor to his two younger b

Expressing concern over health hazards posed by mobile towers, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued notice to the Centre and seven telecom firms on a plea alleging they are being installed in violation of stipulated guidelines.

A bench of the Tribunal comprising acting chairperson Justice A.S. Naidu and expert member P.C. Mishra also restrained the telecom firms from setting up fresh mobile towers in the country without following mandatory provisions of law and obtaining the necessary permission from the competent authority.

Sri Lanka would move to a new era on Thursday when the country’s first Communication satellite would be orbited from China. In a few hours, it would be positioned over Sri Lanka.

Civic Body’s Draft Proposal Lines Up Stringent Installation Rules

The BMC will set up a special cell to look into cell tower radiation violations in the city, said Additional Municipal Commissioner Aseem Gupta at the civic general body meeting on Friday.

Municipal councillors also demanded that a survey of all mobile towers in the city be undertaken to see if they are complying with the Central government norms.