Our Demands - Final

Date: 08/07/2010

Mobile Tower Affected People’s Grievance Forum

Suggests

“MAHARASHTRA MOBILE TOWER REGULATION ACT”

1. Mobile towers must not be installed on the roof tops of Schools, Colleges & Hospitals. Mobile towers must not be installed on top of residential buildings automatically preventing their commercial use. Commercial use of residential buildings is prohibited as per Section 170 & 171 of Co. op Soc. rules.  Any attempt to justify mobile towers on roof tops of residential building under the pretext of “majority of votes” should not be considered. In addition top three floor residents should have the right to execute their VETO power.

2. Mobile towers may be erected on Hilltops, Railway tracks, bridges, beaches, water tank reservoirs, mangrove areas, forest areas, where radiation exposure to human beings would be minimum.

3. They can be also installed on buildings meant for commercial purpose such as Malls, Theatres, office buildings, where exposure of human being to radiation will be for short duration .

4. The distance of the antenna from “human habitation” must not be less than 100 mtrs as per internationally accepted “PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPAL”. ( In China this distance is 500 mtrs, which is still stricter.)

5. Mobile towers must not be installed in 100 mtr peripheral distance from Schools & hospitals.

6. No objection certificate must be obtained from residents of surrounding buildings, which come in periphery of 1.5 times the height of the mobile tower. (Reference: Pune municipal corporation GR no. 6/307 dated 27/11/2007)

7. Structural audit of the building on which mobile tower is to be installed, must be done by competent & independent organizations APPROVED BY Municipal authorities.

8. The sites of mobile towers must be “EASILY” approachable to fire brigade engines to prevent any safety hazards.

9. Radiation emitted by the mobile tower antenna must not be “Self certified” by the mobile tower company (as is the prevailing practice). The radiation levels emitted from the mobile tower antenna must be measured by Government agencies like “Pollution Control Board” or “Telecom Regulatory Authority of India” or “IITs” or “RITES”.

10. Radiation levels must be below allowable limits as prescribed by “Telecom Regulatory Authority of India” (Ref: letter no. 842-998/2008-AS-IV/13 dated 4/11/2008). They have recommended the Input radiation level to mobile tower antenna to be below 9.2 Watt/meter2; and the radiation emitted by the antenna to be below 600 milliWatt/meter2.

11. If radiation levels are exceeded, there should be a provision of heavy penalty to the service provider.

12. Mobile towers must not be installed without “PRIOR” permissions from competent authorities such as Municipality, pollution control Board, fire brigade, nearby police station, Electrical Inspection Dept (B & C).

13. Present practice of regularizing the illegal installation of mobile towers by way of levying fine of Rs. 5000/- must be discontinued. Towers already installed without prior permission must not be regularized. Such service providers should be aptly penalized & such towers should be demolished at service provider’s cost.

14. Charges levied by the government on these mobile towers should be uniform throughout the STATE.

15. Tower companies should be advised to code sharing system so as to avoid multiple towers & clustering of towers.

16.  There must be a provision to include a clause assuring compensation from the service provider, for any Hazards physical or structural, to the aggrieved persons or property owner by way of “comprehensive insurance policy”/ “Indemnity Bond” assured by the service provider, when an agreement is made.

17. Mobile phone manufacturers must mention Specific absorption rate (SAR) value on mobile phone sets.

          

Suresh Ghadge                    Milind Bembalkar                  Manoj S. Londhe

            President (9322386847)      Secretary (9422656058)         Member (09435715494)

          

            Enclosed documents:

1. State rules (Delhi, Chandigarh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh)
2. Article written by Prof. Girish Kumar, IIT, Mumbai,
3. Article written by Shri A. M. Joshi, retired wireless advisor, Govt of India.
4. Copy presentation given to local MP, MLA & MLC by members of mobile tower affected people’s grievance forum.
5. Article by Shri Manoj Londhe & Shri Milind Bembalkar.
6. J.J. Hospital letter by Dean Dr. R. S. Inamdar, denying installation of mobile tower in their 44 acre premise.
7. Tehelka reports about mobile tower radiation levels in Delhi & Mumbai.
8. Mumbai Express News line report about Usha Kiran building.

Copy of research papers by eminent European scientists.