Cellular operators welcome court verdict on mobile towers

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Sunday welcomed the Kerala High Court's recent verdict on mobile towers, saying the judgment would help remove "unwarranted fears" on harmful effects of emissions.

"We welcome the decision of the honourable High Court. We are fully committed to the sensitivities and concerns of our customers and believe that this landmark order will debunk several myths propagated by certain groups," Rajan S. Mathews, COAI director general, said in a statement.

A Kerala High Court bench observed July 11 that there was no proof whether the telecommunication towers affect the health of the people or not.

"I am sure the verdict of the Kerala High Court will go a long way in the removal of fears about the safety of EMF emission from telecom towers all across India," Mathews said.

He claimed that India's mobile industry complies and conforms to norms mandated by the Department of Telecom (DoT) which lowered by 90 percent, the norms mandated by international regulatory bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection.

"The International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines are regarded as the most credible and are followed by 95 percent of the countries across the world," he said.