Telecom experts are aiming at dispelling myths about the harmful radiation from cellular mobile towers. This comes in the wake of concerns by many scientists and experts that mobile towers emit radiation that could be harmful for humans and other living beings.
Such concerns have also been amplified by celebrities. Recently, actor Juhi Chawla had filed a lawsuit against the implementation of 5G technology in India. Experts, including a few working closely with the Department of Telecom (DoT), are joining hands with different state telecom departments to clear misconceptions about the effects of mobile towers.
Recently, the Goa unit of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had organised an “Awareness Workshop on Radiation from Cellular Mobile Towers” under the chairmanship of Ashok Kumar Mittal, Advisor, DoT and was part of DoT’s public advocacy programme designed to dispel myths around Electromagnetic Frequency (EMF) Radiation and to quell unfounded fears of citizens.
“Mobile towers are vital for smooth connectivity. However, rising misinformation related to health concerns posed by mobile towers is alarming,” Mittal said.
Other experts such as Dr T.K Joshi, Advisor to the Health Minister, Government of India had also pointed out that scientific research testifies to the fact that there are no impacts of these radiations on human health. “It is important for citizens to understand that mobile tower EMF radiation is being strictly monitored and evidence from credible sources have ruled out the possibility of health issues emanating from EMF radiations,” remarked Joshi.
At the workshop, it was highlighted that mobile services and wireless broadband access were necessary not only for the rapid growth and modernization of various sectors of the economy but also for the success of key government initiatives related to education, health, finance, Direct Benefit Transfer, e#KYC and other e-governance services. It was discussed that telecom towers were critical for providing mobile connectivity in all the areas, including residential areas.
It was mentioned that after two decades of research the EMF Project of the World Health Organisation, had corroborated that there is no evidence to support the claim that exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields is harmful to human health. The WHO had studied over 25,000 articles and reached the conclusion that there is no correlation between mobile tower EMF emissions and their hazardous impact on human health.
It was mentioned that in India the EMF radiation norms are 10 times stricter than the limits prescribed by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and is recommended by the (WHO). Similar awareness campaigns are being organised in other states as well and recently it was held in association with the DoT Rajasthan as well.
As per a report by Deloitte, it is very unlikely that the radiation from 5G mobile networks and 5G phones will affect the health of any single individual. However, if education about 5G is to be effective in curbing popular fears, it needs to be compelling, consistent, and pervasive, and it needs to begin now. A Deloitte consumer poll also found a fifth or more adults in six out of 14 countries surveyed agreed with the statement, “I believe there are health risks associated with 5G".
Deloitte predicts that in 2021, it is very unlikely that the radiation from 5G mobile networks and 5G phones will affect the health of any single individual, be it a 5G user, a user of any other generation of mobile phones, or any individual in the vicinity of a mobile network but not actually using a mobile device. As per Deloitte, there is also no link between the growth in COVID-19 infections and the roll-out of 5G networks.
