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| No norms is the norm for cell-phone towers | | | SANT KUMAR SHARMA
Jammu, Oct 21: Despite rapid growth of mobile telephony over the last few years, the government has failed to issue necessary guidelines or criteria regarding siting of mobile telephone towers. The towers are being set up, here, there and everywhere, but no norms have been codified for setting up these towers so far.
Environmentalists believe that these mobile towers impact living beings in a negative manner. It has been noticed that sparrows vanish from the vicinity of the towers and other birds also leave their nests from areas where towers are erected.
Since the negative effects of these towers have not been studied in detail so far, scientists urge caution in setting them up. But no concrete steps have been taken so far to codify the norms for setting up (termed siting criteria).
The facts regarding non-existence of rules for setting up of mobile towers have surfaced due to the filing of a writ petition in the Jammu & Kashmir High Court. The writ petition, number 1016/07, is in an advanced stage of hearing, and it had raised questions regarding the ill-effects of mobile towers.
The writ has been filed by residents of village Meen Sarkar and Kartholi (Sarore Adda). The villagers had formed a citizens’ committee to protect themselves from the ill-effects of the mobile towers.
Ms Bharati Airtel (owners of mobile brand AIRTEL) and Ms Reliance Communication (owners of mobile brand RELIANCE) reportedly wanted to set up mobile towers in the village but a section of enlightened citizens opposed the move. The villagers said that due to the strong electromagnetic field that exists near mobile towers, human beings are harmed and can suffer from serious ailments including cancer and heart attacks.
On these grounds, the villagers approached the high court through a writ petition to get the installation of the mobile towers stalled.
The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) is one of the respondents in the writ petition. The petitioners had requested the court to direct the SPCB to notify or make public norms governing the setting up of the mobile towers.
Since the issue pertained to an area falling under the jurisdiction of the Regional Director of SPCB located at Jammu, the matter was duly referred to him. The Regional Director, Mr Brij Mohan Sharma, admitted candidly that no codified norms exist for the siting or setting up of mobile towers.
Mr Sharma, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of J&K cadre, is to assist the court in the proceedings pertaining to the writ petition. He has now prepared a list of dos and don’ts, perhaps the first of its kind anywhere in the country, and sent it to Member-Secretary of the SPCB for necessary action.
When contacted, he said: ``Somebody somewhere has to make a beginning to codify the rules for siting criteria of the mobile towers. I have prepared the draft guidelines and my other colleagues in the SPCB will take things forward.’’
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