mobile towers

8/12/2019 Mobile Towers

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ILL EFFECTS OF MOBILE TOWER

RADIATIONS

Arjun Sanal


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Introduction

India is the second largest mobile phone user

in the world

554.8 million mobile users

More than 54% of the total mobile users are in

rural areas

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Technological Insights

Pollution created by electromagnetic fields (EMF) is

called electro-smog and is a silent killer

India is the second largest subscriber of mobile

communication.

There are around 873.36 million mobile connectionsand more than 5 lakh mobile towers across the

country to meet the communication demand.

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A mobile phone transmits around 2 Watts of power in the

frequency range of 824 - 849 MHz

The transmission frequency range of cell tower antennas aregenerally 869 - 894 MHz

In case of a 3G technology, the base station antenna transmits

in the rage of 2000-2160 MHz. 4


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Majority of these towers are mounted near theresidential properties and office buildings to provide

good coverage.

These towers transmit signal throughout the day andhence the people living around a few meters of the tower

gets stronger signals than actually required forcommunication, which can be harmful

News : HC notice to Centre on 70 year-old woman's plea

on mobile tower seeking Rs.50 lakh as compensationfrom authorities for allowing a cellular operator to installa mobile tower on the terrace of her house which causedhealth hazards to her young daughter

5Zeenews April 22, 2013


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Biological effects on Human Being

Opening of Brain Blood Barrier and leakage of albumin from bloodvessels in inappropriate location of the brain

Neuro-degenerative diseases - Alzheimers, Parkinsons disease

DNA damage - When DNA damaged is greater than DNA repaired,there is possibility of retaining mutations and initiating cancer

Irreversible infertility

Risk to children Increased radiation absorption because the skull is thin and small

More susceptible to cell damage due to increased rate of multiplication

Less effective against fighting growth as the immune system is not welldeveloped

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Risk to pregnant woman for spontaneous abortion, congenitalmalformation in fetus and depression and degeneration of nervous systemin children

Calcium ion release from cell membrane leading to pain and neurologicalsymptoms

Effect on skinRashes, redness of skin, crawling ,biting and stinging

sensation

Interference with life line electronic gadgets

like pacemakers

Damage of visual system

Increase in cancer risk

Sleep disorders7


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Being exposed to a mobile tower located within 50m of your home or

workplace is like being in a microwave oven for 24 hours and carries the

same cancer risk as living surrounded by lead, DDT, chloroform and

petrol exhaust

9Hindustan Times, July 15 2012


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Effects on Bees

Studies show that there has been a sharpdecline in bee population leading to damage

to apiculture industry and also increase in

global warming

Bees have been getting sick and disoriented,

and whole hives are being deserted

Colony Collapse Disorder or Vanishing BeeSyndrome.

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Effects on Birds

Birds, when exposed to low frequency EM radiations, they disorientand fly in different directions

Microwaves can interfere with their sensors and misguide themwhile navigating and preying

A large number of birds like pigeons, sparrows, swans are gettinglost due to interference from the mobile phone towers

Birds near mobile phone base stations do not breed well

A few scientists claim that radiations can be responsible for thepersistence of Bird Flu that has been killing chickens and other fowland is officially attributed to a common virus with the designationH5N1

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Effects on Trees

When trees are exposed to radiation emitted by mobilebase station antennas, the leaves discolor and graduallydie

Leaves initially develop a metallic luster appearance

Discoloration of the leaves resulted in the

disappearance of the outer cell layer of the leaves

Metallic luster was then followed by desiccation anddeath of a portion of the leaf.

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Experiment

13Source: International Journal of Forestry Research, February 2010

The researchers discovered that the tree seedlings growing inside the radio frequency-

shielded cages were much larger and healthier than those in both the mock-shielded

cages and in the unshielded controls. The authors report that the background levels ofradio frequency radiation may be adversely affecting leaf and shoot growth and

inhibiting fall production of anthocyanin (these are the pigments associated with leaf

senescence in trembling aspen seedlings). These results suggest that exposure to the RF

radiation generated by our wireless technology may be an underlying factor in the

recent rapid decline of aspen populations.


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14Business Line Sept 1, 2012


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Government Initiatives

Government plans to install devices for round-the-clock monitoring ofradiation levels emanating from telecom towers

Area monitoring devices measures EMF radiation and sends the measuredradiation value to the display board for displaying the radiation level forpeople to see the readings

At present there are around 7.4 lakh mobile antenna system and 6 lakhmobile towers installed across country

Radiation norms have provision to impose penalty of up to Rs.5 lakh in case

any mobile antenna is found emitting radiation beyond permissible limits.

The government had made it mandatory for telcos to reduce the power ofthe radio frequency in towers to a tenth of what was required under theglobal standards set by WHO

15Zeebiz.com, Sept 3 2013; Business Standard, Dec 14 2013


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