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Safeguarding Public Health

Steps taken for Regulating EMF Radiation from BTS towers

For providing the mobile services in the country, the telecom service providers have

to establish Base Transmitting Stations (BTS), at suitable locations, as per theirRadio Frequency (RF) Network Planning for proper coverage of the area. Prior to

installation of mobile towers, the telecom service providers have to obtain Site

clearance from Standing Advisory Committee on Frequency Allocation (SACFA) of

DoT for every site from the point of view of interference with other wireless users,

aviation hazards and obstruction to any other existing microwave links. The telecom

service providers have also to obtain necessary clearances from concerned local

authorities such as municipal corporation, Gram Panchayat etc before installation of

tower.

Accordingly, DoT is responsible for regulating the EMF radiation from BTS towersand State Government, Municipal Corporations, Local Bodies regulate the

installation of towers as per their building bylaws. DoT has taken the following steps

for regulating the EMF radiation from BTS towers to safeguard the public health:

1. Adoption of ICNIRP Guidelines for EMF Radiation:

In 2008, Government of India adopted the Guidelines developed by the International

Commission on Non-lionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for Electromagnetic

radiation from mobile towers, which are as follows:

Frequency Range Power Density (Watt/Sq.Meter)

400MHz to 2000MHz f/200

(f : is the frequency of operation in MHz)

Since, the cellular GSM services are being operated at 900 MHz and 1800 MHz

frequency band in India, the permissible Power Density is 4.5 W/Sqm for 900 MHz

and 9 W/Sqm. for 1800 MHz.

2.0 Amendment in Licence Agreement of Telecom Service Providers:

The licence agreement of the Telecom service providers was amended for adhering

to ICNIRP guidelines vide DoT letter 842-998/2008-AS-IV/13 dated 4/11/2008.

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3.0 Issuance of Test Procedure by TEC for EMF Testing

TEC, the Technical arm of the DoT, prepared and issued Standard Test Procedure

for measurement of EMF level from BTSs vide document no. TEC/TP/EMF/001/01

SEP 2009.

4.0 Directions for Submission of self Certification

Instructions were issued to all Telecom service providers vide letter No. 800-

15/2010-VAS dated 8thApril 2010, for compliance of ICNIRP guidelines by way of

submission of self certification of all the Base Transmitting Stations (BTS) to

respective TERM Cells, the field units of DoT, for meeting the above EMF radiation

norms. All new BTS sites should start radiating only after submission of self-

certificate to respective TERM Cells.

5.0 EMF Audit by TERM Cell:

The TERM Cells test up to 10% of BTS sites randomly at their discretion.

Additionally, the BTS sites against which there are public complaints, are also tested

by TERM Cells. The testing is done as per procedures prescribed by Telecom

Engineering Centre (TEC). TERM Cells have tested more than 19,658 BTSs so farand all are found to be conforming to the prescribed EMF norms.

6.0 Provision of Penalty

If a site fails to meet the EMR criterion on testing, there is provision of levying a

penalty of Rs. 5 lakh per BTS per service provider. Service providers must meet the

criterion within one month of the report of TERM cell in such cases, after which the

site will be shut down.

7.0 Constitution of Inter Ministerial Committee

Based on media reports and public concerns, an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC)

consisting of officers from DoT, Indian Council of Medical Research (Ministry of

Health), Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of Environment and Forest was

constituted on 24.08.2010 to examine the effect of EMF Radiation from base stations

and mobile phones.

Inter-ministerial committee (IMC) in its report, examined the environmental and

health related concerns and indicated that most of the laboratory studies wereunable to find a direct link between exposure to radio frequency radiation and health;

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and the scientific studies as yet have not been able to confirm a cause and effect

relationship between radio frequency radiation and health. The effect of emission

from cell phone towers is not known yet with certainty. Inter-ministerial committee

(IMC) has examined 90 international and national studies/reference papers, related

with the EMF radiation, before finalizing the report.

However, IMC recommended for lowering the mobile towers EMF exposure limits to

1/10th of the existing prescribed limit as a matter of abundance precaution and

recommended the following limits:

Type ofexposure

Frequency Range Power Density(Watt/Sq. mtr.)

GeneralPublic

400-2000 MHz f/2000

2-300 GHz 1

f :frequency in MHz.

8.0 Acceptance of Recommendation of the Commit tee

The recommendations made by Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) were accepted by

Government and directions in this regard were issued to the Mobile Operators vide

DoT letter no. 800-15/2010-VAS (pt.) dated 10.04.2012 making the new norms

applicable from 01.09.2012, so that the Telecom Service Providers may adjust their

networks to comply with the new norms.

9.0 Action On Structural Safety of Towers

Some State Government / Municipal Corporations have formulated their guideline

and issued instructions to regulate erection of mobile towers. As a proactive step,

Central Government has constituted a committee to propose model guidelines for

uniformity in setting up of towers on land and rooftops as well as their structural

safety, which may be suitably adopted by various State Government.

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