C/O PrakashMunshi , Raj Niketan , B G
KherMarg , Mumbai 400006
Tel 23685256 email: prmunshi@gmail.com
Indian Medical Association (Mumbai West)
December 18, 2013
IMA Building
Behind Chandan Cinema
J R MhatreMarg
JVPD Scheme ,Juhu
Mumbai 400049
Attn :Dr.S.K.Joshi , President
Dear Sir,
We are an Association of Citizen Groups of
Mumbai who are concerned of the Health Hazards due EMF Radiation from Mobile
Tower Antennae. We have been discussing at Central , State and Municipal levels
to get the Radiation levels reduced to reduce the increasing Health Hazards in
Mumbai & Suburbs besides helping Citizen Groups also in
other Cities .
We were quite surprised to read in
Newspapers on December 11, 2013 that Indian Medical Association Mumbai West
had a Press Meeting together with Operators and their
PR Agency at a crucial time when the new
State Policy on Installation of Mobile Towers Antennae is to be issued.
We question your stand that “ Mobile Towers
not a Cancer Risk ,” mentioned in Hindustan Times , “ Gem from IMA : Cell Towers Pose No Harm ”
in DNA of December 11, 2013 and
Cell Tower Not Harmful : Med Body docs“.
For your information it is
the Electro Magnetic Field Radiation
emitted by the Antennae installed on these Towers which creates Health Hazards , including the risk of Cancer over a period
of time due to continuous 24 x 7 radiation.
In case your conclusion is based on
experiments conducted by IMA Mumbai West please advise us and let us have a
copy of the Report (s), together with the Names and contact addresses of the responsible
Medical Researchers.
We question the authenticity of the sundry
attributions and opinions quoted in the media, especially of the examples given
in the press Notes, purportedly contributed as the official stand of the Indian
Medical Association Mumbai West.
In case this meet was organised by the
vested interests using your name to get
a mileage and you are relying on information provided by them we would like to
question the authenticity , especially of the examples given in the Press Notes
.
In case you do not have proof beyond doubt
then one has to adopt the Precautionary Principle as laid down by the Law of
European Union.
“ The precautionary principle or
precautionary approach states if an action or policy has a suspected risk of
causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific
consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is
not harmful falls on those taking an action. “
Now to come to some major points raised by IMA Mumbai
West:
1. EMF RADIATION NORMS
International Standards followed by India were as laid down
by International Commission on Non Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP ), aNGO
registered in Germany whose origin and structure are none too clear and which
is furthermore suspected of having rather close links with the industries.
India had an EMF
Radiation norm for 900 MHz frequency of
4500 milliwatts per square meter prior to
September 1, 2012. The Government
of India reduced the same ( NORM ) to
10% - 450 milliwatts per square meter . This according to the then Secretary
DoT, was not done on any scientific basis ,but based on Apprehensions and
Perceptions of Indian Citizens.
There was no change in the then existing levels of actual
emitted radiation and also today they remain the same AS EXISTING PRIOR TO
September 2012.
The highest reading measured before September 1,
2012 was not divulged to the Citizens and these were much lower than the so
called “ Stringent Revised Norms.”
So by reducing
Norms the Government did not reduce
Radiation levels at the Ground level.
Why did the Government of India reduce the norms to
such a great extent ?
Why did the Government of India spend lakhs of rupees
in releasing Half Page Advertisements in Newspapers saying :
“ If you have a choice , use a Landline ( wired )
phone , not a Mobile phone “ and
similar precautionary statements ?
Why did WHO IARC change their stand to Group 2B and
now US Researchers want it to be upgraded to Group2A?
Please refer to this case of France as quoted in
French Media. :
http://www.lepoint.fr/sante/les-ondes-electromagnetiques-sont-elles-dangereuses-15-10-2013-1744000_40.php
Fixed between 41 V
/ m and 61 V / m (depending on
technology ), it
is in fact well below these values.
According to the
work of experimentation waves Committee
( Copic ) , about
97% of the French territory , emissions
antennas are less
than 2.7 V / m. (2.7 V/m = 19.20 milliwatts / square meter)
India : 450 milliwatts / square meter
And to lower the
threshold to 0.6 V / m,
(0.6 V/m = 0.96
milliwatts / square meter)
a level demanded
by certain associations , it should at least
increase the
number of antennas by three , said the Copic ,
these findings
submitted to the government in September,2013.
2. RADIATION LEVELS LOWER
THAN FM RADIO & TELEVISION SETS
We request you to
advise the radiation levels measured by
you from the FM Radio and Television Sets to substantiate your statement that “
A person absorbs five times more radiation frequency from FM radio and
Television sets than from a Mobile Tower, “ in terms of milliwatts / square
meter.
3. CANCER & MUTATIONS DAMAGE TO DNA BY EMF
We request you to
refer to Dr. Henry Lai’s weblink :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrBjQJhHfzk
Please note that Researchers including Dr. Henry Lai have had their
funding
withdrawn and approached to change their
findings as these were against the
Industry. Please refer a Note on next page.
4. BRAIN TUMOURS
- PROF. ROSS ADEY & DR. HENRY
LAI
Two new studies have shown links
between mobile phone usage and brain
tumors.
They found a correlation
between phone use and cancer. The
studies showed that
mobile
phone use, regardless which side of the head it was held against,
increased
the risk of a brain tumor by almost two and
a half times. Some of the leading
researchers were contracted by Motorola to
carry out some experiments.
Two of the world's leading
radiation experts reported to The Express that
multinational companies tried to influence
the results of their research.
Professor Ross Adey, a biologist,
had his funding withdrawn by Motorola
before
completing research which showed that
mobiles affected the number of brain
tumors in animals.
Dr. Henry Lai, who has been studying the
biological effects of electromagnetic fields
for 20 years, was asked three times to
change findings on how they caused DNA
breaks in rats.
Both of these scientists have
been involved in academic, military and
other research
projects throughout their lives.
5. CHILDREN AT SAME RISK
AS ADULTS
This claim of IMA
is false and can be proved by many International findings. Please enlighten us with research done by IMA
on this as this is contrary to majority of research done globally.
International Researchers say that the
Skulls of Children are very soft and thin
compared to adults which is the reason why
Children are more prone to EMF
Radiation compared to Adults.
Are you aware that Belgium has banned Mobile Phones For Children in Oct’ 2013..
Another web link you must see is
Mobile phone use raises children’s risk of
Brain Cancer Fivefold .
6. WHO FACT SHEET 2011
The FACT Sheets
distributed by Operators have many
question marks .
In May 2011 the
World Health Organisation / International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
has classified Electro Magnetic Field Radio Frequency as being “ Possibly
Carcinogenic “ .as Class 2 Bto humans (Group 2B), based on an increased risk
for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer1, associated with wireless phone
use.
The
WHO/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified
radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), based on an increased risk
for glioma, a malignant type
of brain cancer, associated with wireless phone use.
Conclusions on
this reclassification given from the IARC website are revealing :
Dr Jonathan Samet
(University of Southern California, USA), overall Chairman of the Working
Group, indicated that "the evidence, while still accumulating, is strong
enough to support a conclusion and the 2B classification. The conclusion means
that there could be some risk, and therefore we need to keep a close watch for
a link between cell phones and cancer risk."
"Given the
potential consequences for public health of this classification and
findings," said IARC Director Christopher Wild, "it is important that
additional research be conducted into the long‐term, heavy use of mobile
phones. Pending the availability of such information, it is important to take
pragmatic measures to reduce exposure such as hands‐free devices or texting.
"
The Working Group
considered hundreds of scientific articles; the complete list will be published
in the Monograph. It is noteworthy to mention that several recent in‐press
scientific articles resulting from the Interphone study were made available to
the working group shortly before it was due to convene, reflecting their
acceptance for publication at that time, and were included in the evaluation.
Many Researchers
feel that based on Research in the last few years the Group 2 B
classification needs to be upgraded to Group
2A.( The detailed definition of Group 2
is given in attached Enclosure I.)
We would like to
point out a few facts which have come to our notice in the last few years that
we are involved in helping Citizens to become Aware of Health Hazards due EMF
Radiation and get the Government to
reduce the existing high Radiation Levels :
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)
has removed Anders Ahlbom of the Karolinska Institute from its panel of experts
which is set to evaluate the cancer risks posed by mobile phones. The committee
will meet in Lyon, France, for a week beginning this coming Tuesday, May 24. In
an e-mail sent out earlier today, Ahlbom wrote, “IARC has excluded me from the
RF Working Group because of ‘possible perception of conflict of interest’.”
IARC moved quickly after learning that Ahlbom is a
director of his brother’s consulting firm, Gunnar Ahlbom AB. The company, which
is based in Brussels, was established to help clients on telecom issues, with
an emphasis on environmental and energy regulations.
b) The Results of
experiments conducted in USA on which
the International
Organisations
rely on are not based on ground realities in India.
For example research is done based on One Antenna ,
Power Transmission of 2 Watts and One Mouse while the ground reality in India
is a Cluster of Antennae ( 10 to 20 ) with High Power Transmission of 20 Watts
per Antenna which would give wrong
conclusions suiting the Industry which funds these studies. (
Substantive evidence is available with us.)
c) EMF Radiation from
Mobile Phones is 1000 times more than BTS Antennae. A Blatant False information.
“ Because exposure to Radio Frequency (RF )
Fields emitted by Mobile
Phones is generally more than a 1000 times
higher than frombase
stations, and the greater likelihood of any
adverse effect being due to
handsets,research has almost exclusively
been researchconducted on
on possible effects of mobile phone
exposure ……...” This is a Release of
WHO distributed freely by COAI.
We had sent an email to Principal Advisor of COAI asking
him that if
EMFR from a Blackberry Phone is 14 milliwatts per square
meter does it
mean that BTS EMF Radiation will be 0.014 milliwatts per square meter.
There was no substantive reply except to ask us to check
with WHO as he
had only reproduced from
WHO Fact Sheet ( Copy Paste Technical
Advisor ). WHO have not yet replied for last two weeks.
7. CIGARETTES INDUSTRY v/s
MOBILE INDUSTRY
This is an
interesting comparison .Since 1966 Cigarette Industry mentioned “ Smoking is Hazardous
to your Health “ on Cigarette Packing and
now they have to mention “ Smoking Kills” . Why ? Because the Tobacco & Cigarette Industry was a very strong
lobby and the same is the case with
Mobile Phone & Mobile Operator Industry.
We cannot wait like the Cigarette Industry and due to early warnings the Governments and
Industry should take the Precautionary Step and adopt the Precautionary
Principle as per the Law of European Union and protect the Health of Indian
Citizens.
8. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ENVIRONMENTAL
MEDICINE
American Academy of Environmental Medicine , USA has
written to Federal
Communications Commission , Washington on
August 30, 2013 ( Enclosure
II)
– to baseguidelines of RF
exposure on measurements of non- thermal effects and
lower the RF exposure to protect the health of the public .
“ It became clear to AAEM physicians that
by mid 1990’s that patients were
experiencing adverse health reactions and disease as a
result of exposure to
electromagnetic fields. In the last five
years with the advent of wireless devices,
there has been an exponential increase in
the number of patients with
radiofrequency induced disease and
hypersensitivity .
Numerous peer reviewed , published studies correlate radiofrequency
exposure
with a wide range of health conditions and
diseases. These include neurological
and neurodegenerative diseases such as
Parkinson’s Disease , ALS , paresthesias ,
dizziness , headaches,and sleep disruption as well as cardiac , gastrointestinal and
immune disease , cancer , developmental and reproductive
disorders , and
electromagnetic sensitivity. “
We request you to advise us on
what basis is IMA Secretary recommending
circulating these WHO Advisories and Fact
Sheets of WHO in Regional Languages
to
spread Awareness over these issues.
Information provided above should
help
you
to be more objective and also consider the Citizen s view points which
are
well
substantiated.
We are enclosing herewith a few website
links( Enclosure III ) to increase
awareness based
on Facts and not Myths for the benefit
of your Office Bearers
and Members
of your Association.
Has IMA Mumbai West any substantial proof of Non
Ionising Radiation being not harmful to Human Health ?How many members of IMA
Mumbai West and
IMA Mumbai agree with the stand taken by you?
The Debate can go on for another 20 years. We should
be cautious in our opinions if not substantiated beyond reason of doubt. We
have to take the Precautionary step in the interest of the Health of Indian
Citizens and not get involved as IMA – a prestigious Organisation in such
controversies motivated by vested
commercial interests and their PR Agencies.
The Objectives laid down by the Indian Medical
Association are very clear :
1. Promotion
and advancement of medical and all related sciences
2. Improving
the public health and medical education in India
3. Maintaining
the honour and dignity of the medical profession .
We are of the opinion that IMA Mumbai West has gone
against the above Objectives of the IMA by getting involved with the Operators
and their PR Agency without studying the subject in detail and coming out with
statements which are not true and based
on incomplete information available or provided to IMA with an ulterior motive.
We hope Indian Medical Association Mumbai West will
take necessary corrective steps with the media failing which we will be forced
to take necessary action as required.
We look forward to your comments to get IMA ‘s name
and image cleared as a non biased Association among
Mumbaikarswhose objective is to improve Public Health in India and maintain the
honour and dignity of the medical profession.
We would appreciate receiving your prompt reply and
please do not hesitate to
contact us for any further information.
Yours sincerely,
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