NONGPOH: Concerned over rapidly mushrooming cell-phone network towers everywhere in Ri Bhoi district, most of which are illegally installed by different cellular companies, the Ri-Bhoi Student’s Union (RBSU), central body on Wednesday raised its concern and voiced that the state government should immediately check such illegal towers which put the health of people at risk.
RBSU general secretary, Donbok Syiem and Assistant Secretary, Mark .D. Gashnga said that the rise in cellular towers being installed illegally has rapidly put people’s lives at risk due to the radiations.
The organization also expressed its grave concern over the failure of government and telecom department to keep a check on illegal installation of towers in the district which is also a violation of the norm of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Act by installing the towers even in the nearby schools, hospitals and other public places.
“Radiation emitted from cell-phone towers is very harmful for health condition of people and the companies should install towers in much safer place, so that the radiation emitted from towers will not affect the health of the people”, NGO leaders said.
The radiation from these wireless connectivity servers are known to have an adverse impact on not only humans, but also animals as well as altering the ecological balance, exhibiting everything from stress and sleep disorders to birth defects, cancer and Alzheimer’s. All cell site exposure risks.
They also rued that cellular companies or operators of towers must install them at a distance of approximately 100 metres from schools, hospitals and public places, however, this was found otherwise as towers have been installed even in public premises.
RBSU will write to the Telecom Enforcement Resources and Monitoring (TERM), Northeast Telecom Circle, Meghalaya to check illegal installation of towers.
To take stock of the situation, RBSU has recently submitted the petition to the Deputy Commissioner of Ri-Bhoi urging her to take up this matter with the department concerned.
