Delhi court seeks govt response on mobile tower radiation danger

The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the city and central governments, asking for a response over radiation concerns from high-frequency mobile phone towers installed in residential areas.

The Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) reported Monday that the court's decision was a result of a plea from one member of the public, Ramnath Garg, who petitioned to ban installing mobile phone towers within 50 meters of schools, hospitals and residential localities.
In the notice issued, Justice Rajiv Shakdher sought a response to the concerns raised, from the Indian Department of Telecommunication, the chief secretary of the Delhi government, and a leading mobile service provider by Jan. 14, 2013, according to the report.

In the petition, Garg sought the telecom department, private operators and the state government to take steps to reduce exposure to radiation, the news agency said. He claimed that radiation from mobile phone towers causes various health hazards, but no action had been taken by these parties for the safety of the persons living around the towers.

Garg also claimed compensation of 5 million rupees (US$89,559), saying his 30-year-old son died of cancer caused by radiation from a mobile tower on the roof of his house, the news agency added.

He said local state government officials approached him in 2009 with a proposal to install a tower on the roof of his house and though he urged the officials not to erect a very high frequency tower, they misled him. Garg claimed that all of his family members gained weight over a year, and experienced sleeping difficulties and digestion problems as their health deteriorated. A doctor then advised him remove the mobile tower removed from his house, on suspicions it might be responsible for their health problems, he said.