Radiation from mobile phones and towers poses serious health risks, including
loss of memory, lack of concentration, disturbance in the digestive system and
sleep disturbances, according to an inter-ministerial committee formed by the
ministry of communications and information technology to study the hazards posed
by mobile phones.
The committee has also attributed the disappearance of butterflies, bees,
insects and sparrows vanishing from big cities to mobile phone-related
radiation.
The eight-member committee, which included representatives from the health
ministry, department of biotechnology and member secretary, DoT, has recommended
that mobile phones not adhering to standard levels of specific absorption rate
(SAR) - a measure of the amount of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body
while using a phone -- should be barred.
It has said mobile towers should not be installed near high density residential
areas, schools, playgrounds and hospitals. "The localized SAR value as per the
Indian guidelines standard is 2 watt per kg, averaged over a six minute period
and using a 10 gram average mass. With higher SAR values of mobile handsets the
public could potentially receive much higher radiofrequency exposure. We have
recommended that SAR levels to be lowered down to 1.6 watt/kg, as prescribed by
the Federal Communication Commission of US," said a member.
Dr R S Sharma, ICMR scientist who represented the health ministry on the
committee, said the findings are based on case studies presented by different
experts. He added that the recommendations would be used to formulate a national
policy and guidelines on electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation for telecom
towers.
"In the case of a person using a cellphone, most of the heating occurs on the
surface of the head, causing its temperature to increase by a fraction of a
degree. The brain blood flow is capable of disposing this excess by increasing
the local blood flow and increasing body temperature, " states the report. It
says that the non-thermal effects of cellphone use — attributed to the induced
electromagnetic effects inside the body's biological cells — are more harmful.
"People who are chronically exposed to low-level wireless antenna emissions and
users of mobile handsets have reported feeling several unspecific symptoms
during and after its use, ranging from burning and tingling sensation in the
skin of the head, fatigue, sleep disturbances, dizziness, lack of concentration,
ringing in the ears, reaction time, loss of memory, headache, disturbance in
digestive system and heart palpitation, " the report says.
The committee was chaired by Ram Kumar, advisor (technology) , department of
telecommunications, and had Arvind Duggal from the department of biotechnology
and R N Jindal from the environment ministry among its other members.
Member scientist, ICMR R S Sharma said that compared to Europeans, Indian
cellphone users are more at risk for adverse affect of radiation due the
country's hot tropical climate, low body mass index, and low fat content. "We
have recommended amendment in the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and rules so that
only mobile handsets satisfying radiation standards should be permitted in the
country," he said.
The report suggests that children, adolescents and pregnant women should avoid
excessive use of cellphones. People in general should use hands-free
technologies to minimize the contact of the head with cell phone. "People having
active medical implants should keep their cellphone at least 30 cm away from the
implant," it adds.
Said Girish Kumar, professor in the department of electrical engineering at IIT
Bombay, whose research on hazards of cellphone use was taken as a reference for
the committee decision, "There is a 400% 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 government-funded study on radiation from mobile phones and towers at
the Jawaharlal Nehru University ( JNU) found that the exposure to radiation from
mobile towers and mobile phones could have an adverse impact on male fertility
and pose health hazards by depleting the defence mechanism of cells.
Read more: Mobiles pose health risk, says govt panel - The Times of India
http://timesofindia .indiatimes. com/india/ Mobiles-pose- health-risk- says-govt- panel/articlesho w/7415288. cms#ixzz1CseD0OU W
loss of memory, lack of concentration, disturbance in the digestive system and
sleep disturbances, according to an inter-ministerial committee formed by the
ministry of communications and information technology to study the hazards posed
by mobile phones.
The committee has also attributed the disappearance of butterflies, bees,
insects and sparrows vanishing from big cities to mobile phone-related
radiation.
The eight-member committee, which included representatives from the health
ministry, department of biotechnology and member secretary, DoT, has recommended
that mobile phones not adhering to standard levels of specific absorption rate
(SAR) - a measure of the amount of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body
while using a phone -- should be barred.
It has said mobile towers should not be installed near high density residential
areas, schools, playgrounds and hospitals. "The localized SAR value as per the
Indian guidelines standard is 2 watt per kg, averaged over a six minute period
and using a 10 gram average mass. With higher SAR values of mobile handsets the
public could potentially receive much higher radiofrequency exposure. We have
recommended that SAR levels to be lowered down to 1.6 watt/kg, as prescribed by
the Federal Communication Commission of US," said a member.
Dr R S Sharma, ICMR scientist who represented the health ministry on the
committee, said the findings are based on case studies presented by different
experts. He added that the recommendations would be used to formulate a national
policy and guidelines on electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation for telecom
towers.
"In the case of a person using a cellphone, most of the heating occurs on the
surface of the head, causing its temperature to increase by a fraction of a
degree. The brain blood flow is capable of disposing this excess by increasing
the local blood flow and increasing body temperature, " states the report. It
says that the non-thermal effects of cellphone use — attributed to the induced
electromagnetic effects inside the body's biological cells — are more harmful.
"People who are chronically exposed to low-level wireless antenna emissions and
users of mobile handsets have reported feeling several unspecific symptoms
during and after its use, ranging from burning and tingling sensation in the
skin of the head, fatigue, sleep disturbances, dizziness, lack of concentration,
ringing in the ears, reaction time, loss of memory, headache, disturbance in
digestive system and heart palpitation, " the report says.
The committee was chaired by Ram Kumar, advisor (technology) , department of
telecommunications, and had Arvind Duggal from the department of biotechnology
and R N Jindal from the environment ministry among its other members.
Member scientist, ICMR R S Sharma said that compared to Europeans, Indian
cellphone users are more at risk for adverse affect of radiation due the
country's hot tropical climate, low body mass index, and low fat content. "We
have recommended amendment in the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and rules so that
only mobile handsets satisfying radiation standards should be permitted in the
country," he said.
The report suggests that children, adolescents and pregnant women should avoid
excessive use of cellphones. People in general should use hands-free
technologies to minimize the contact of the head with cell phone. "People having
active medical implants should keep their cellphone at least 30 cm away from the
implant," it adds.
Said Girish Kumar, professor in the department of electrical engineering at IIT
Bombay, whose research on hazards of cellphone use was taken as a reference for
the committee decision, "There is a 400% 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 government-funded study on radiation from mobile phones and towers at
the Jawaharlal Nehru University ( JNU) found that the exposure to radiation from
mobile towers and mobile phones could have an adverse impact on male fertility
and pose health hazards by depleting the defence mechanism of cells.
Read more: Mobiles pose health risk, says govt panel - The Times of India
http://timesofindia .indiatimes. com/india/ Mobiles-pose- health-risk- says-govt- panel/articlesho w/7415288. cms#ixzz1CseD0OU W
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