Times
of India: New Delhi: Wednesday, 18 March 2015.
The Central
Information Commission has pulled up the environment ministry for providing
"false and misleading" information that it had conducted no study on
the harmful effects of mobile radiations. It has also asked the ministry to
explain why it has allowed unrestricted installation of mobile towers and not
formulated any policy on it in view of the recommendations by an
inter-ministerial group and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The
Commission was hearing a case related to RTI applicant Suresh Chandra Guptha
who sought information related to the WHO study that termed electromagnetic
waves from mobiles as being possibly carcinogenic for a kind of brain cancer.
The applicant
sought to know whether the environment ministry has declared these radio waves
as air-pollutants, details on steps taken by the ministry to reduce their
impact, and if any study was done to measure the harmful biological effects of
the waves emanating from cell phone towers on human health.
The ministry
said it has not undertaken or sponsored any such study. However, during the
hearing it came to light that an inter-ministerial group studied the issue and
submitted a report in 2010.
Information
commissioner Prof Shridhar Acharyulu expressed "surprise" that the
ministry claimed that there was no study when an inter-ministerial group in
2010 and WHO had said there is an adverse impact of radiations on human health
and made several suggestions on the "crucial issue".
"The
Commission found that the answer of the CPIO in response to this RTI request is
false and misleading. The ministry said there is no report when they knew or
presumed to have known the content of both the reports by WHO and the
inter-ministerial group," the order said.
"The
Commission is surprised that the respondent authority knew that the report was
submitted by the inter-ministerial group, but officers neither cared to submit
the copy of the report nor read it. The Commission could trace the report from
the websites of Department of Telecommunication and DDA," noted Acharyulu
who issued show a cause notice to the ministry.
The report of
the inter-ministerial group highlighted the adverse effects of EMFs on human
health and made very specific recommendations of not permitting cell towers
near schools, residential colonies and hospitals, he said.
Acharyulu
also came down heavily on the Delhi Development Authority asking them to
explain why they are propagating false information that there are no adverse
effects of radiation on human beings and carrying on with the installation of
mobile towers.
The
Commission also directed the Delhi government to probe reasons for ignoring
"vital" reports on harmful effects of mobile towers on human health
while giving permission for installation of mobile towers on roof tops.
Acharyulu instructed the Chief Minister's Office to inform the people about
measures to be initiated in relation to recommendations of the 2010 report and
also by WHO.
.JPG)
.JPG)
