Letters: Is all well, really?

T V Ramachandran in his article, “False alarm over mobile tower radiation” (November 30), writes that within prescribed limits, radiation from cell towers has no adverse effect on health. But in India we often see a cluster of antennas on just one tower. Is the combined radiation from them still within the safe limit? It is generally advised to keep these towers away from hospitals and schools, for good reason, perhaps. 

Another issue is the specific absorption rate (SAR) that every cell phone manufacturer is legally required to mention on the product. The SAR level is fine as long as the cell phone is kept some distance away from the body. But in low signal areas, SAR exposure is maximum. Isn’t this a health risk, too? 

Also, what about the collective SAR level in trains, buses etc, where almost all the passengers have cell phones? In these circumstances, the SAR value is manifold. The SAR value is given as an advisory, just like the one on tobacco packs, implying that harm is possible if not imminent, and prolonged exposure will likely have adverse consequences. 

Claiming that exposure to mobile tower radiation is safe seems to indicate that vested interests are trying to hoodwink the public to a possible health risk. 

Of course everyone is being exposed to these radiations and will face the consequences. The cell phone industry says these radiations are non-ionising. They may be, but isn’t it early days to say all is well?

Jagmohan Rathi   Ghaziabad

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