Bees , bird species in N-E affected due to radiation from mobile towers
From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Bees and certain other bird species of the Northeast might get a reprieve, now that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is setting up a study on the effects of radiation from mobile towers on avian life, official sources have said.
Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Jayanthi Natarajan, said that there were some reports indicating that radiation has a negative impact on bees as well as adverse effects on scavenger birds in certain parts of Northeast India and Odisha.
“We’re now worried that it (radiation) on a particular wave length will have a deleterious effect on avian population,” she said.
Besides commissioning the studies, the Ministry will also be writing to the Telecom Ministry to set up a mechanism, as well as a task force, to monitor radiation from mobile towers.
The transmission towers are based on the electromagnetic waves, which over prolonged usage have adverse impacts on humans as well as on other fauna.
The adverse effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from mobile communication towers on health of human beings are well documented these days.
However, exact correlation between radiation of communication towers and wildlife are not yet well established.
An earlier MoEF study had suggested that the common house sparrows might be on their way towards extinction due to the EMR from mobile communication towers.
The study found that the EMR is largely responsible for the bird’s declining numbers, besides being responsible for decreased egg production in bees.
The study also suggested recognizing EMR as a pollutant because of their possible effect on animals and birds.
