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Actress Juhi Chawla files lawsuit against 5G technology in India, claims it is injurious to health and safety
India Created: 1 Jun 2021
According to the actress, if 5G technology were to be installed, then people and humans will be exposed to radiofrequency radiation (RF) at a rate of 10 times or 100 times the current figure.

Bollywood Actress Juhi Chawla has filed a lawsuit against the implementation of 5G technology in India. According to the actress, if 5G technology were to be installed, then people and humans will be exposed to radiofrequency radiation (RF) at a rate of 10 times or 100 times the current figure.

Juhi Chawla said in a statement, “We are not against the implementation of technological advancements. On the contrary, we enjoy using the latest products that the world of technology has to offer, including in the field of wireless communications. However, whilst using the latter kind of devices, we are in a constant dilemma, because after doing our own research and studies regarding the RF radiation from wirefree gadgets and network cell towers, we have sufficient reason to believe that the radiation is extremely harmful and injurious to the health and safety of the people.”

“The accumulated clinical evidence of sick and injured human beings, coupled with experimental evidence of damage to DNA, cells and organ systems in a wide variety of plants and animals, further coupled with epidemiological evidence which supports the conclusion that the major diseases of modern civilization – cancer, heart disease and diabetes – are, in large part, caused by electromagnetic pollution, stems from a literature-base comprising of over 10,000 (ten thousand) peer-reviewed studies, a number much, much, much too large to be ignored,” the statement says.

Juhi Chawla also said that the 5G network will cause “serious, irreversible effects on humans and permanent damage to all of the Earth’s ecosystems”. The race to develop 5G technology has “somewhat distracted our nation from taking into due consideration some alarming factors to the health of present and future generations,” the actress argued.

A spokesperson for Juhi Chalwa said on the lawsuit being filed, “The present suit is being instituted in order to seek a direction from this Hon’ble court to the arrayed Defendants, to certify to us and, therefore, to the public at large, that 5G technology is safe to humankind, man, woman, adult, child, infant, animals and every type of organisms, to flora, to fauna, and in support thereof, to produce their respective studies regarding RF radiation through mobile cell towers, and if not already conducted, to also conduct an efficient research, and without participation of private interest, and to subsequently furnish the report and declare whether or not the implementation of 5G in India would be safe, keeping un regards the health and safety of the present and future citizenry on India, including little children and infants, as well as infants of generations to come.”

Conspiracy theories about 5G technology have skyrocketed in recent times, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. A great many conspiracy theorists have blamed 5G network for the disease even after repeated clarifications by experts that it has nothing to do with the disease.
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Source: OpIndia, 31 May 2021

The 4Gotten generation: An open letter to India’s youth: Get off that smartphone. It can destroy you
India Created: 24 Oct 2020
Dear friends, I don’t know if this letter will even reach you, despite being published in a big newspaper. Many of you are so busy with your phones, watching videos, playing video games, chatting with your friends, commenting on social media, or just scrolling through the feeds of beautiful celebrities, reading an article falls way down on the priority list.

However, if you do happen to chance on this, please read this fully. This is important and this is about your life. You are wasting your life on your phone. Yes, you are the first young generation in India’s history that has access to smartphones and cheap data, and you are spending hours on it, every day.

Check your screen time, which often averages 5-7 hours a day for young people. Retired or established people can spend so many hours on their devices. A young person, who has to build his/ her life, just can’t.

Five hours is one-third of your productive waking hours, or one-third of your life. Like cigarettes or other drugs, this phone addiction is eating away a part of your life. It’s damaging your career prospects and messing up your brain. If it stays this way, your entire generation will become a 4Gotten generation, an entire generation addicted to 4G, aimless in their life and clueless about the nation.

These are the top three negative effects of this phone addiction.

Number one, of course, is the absolute waste of time, which could be utilised on more productive things in life. Imagine saving three hours a day from your phone, and spending it on anything – fitness, learning a skill, studying more, a more intense job search, opening a business. Imagine if you did this consistently, where it would take you.

Two, watching mindless stuff dulls your cognitive brain. Our brain has two areas – cognitive and emotional. A good mind is where both work well. When you watch junk, the cognitive brain disengages and is used less. You soon lack the ability to think, reason or argue something logically. You can no longer see different points of view, process multiple scenarios, evaluate pros and cons or make the right decisions.

You function with your emotional brain alone as your cognitive brain is numb. The constant anger on social media, the polarisation, the intense fandom and intense hate for celebrities or politicians, the popularity of certain screaming TV anchors all point to a generation where the emotional brain is in control, and the reasoning mind is not engaged.

People who work only with an emotional brain don’t do well in life. The only way out – stop numbing your brain and engage your mind in more productive things.

Three, constant hours on the screen kill your motivation and energy. Success in life comes from setting goals, staying motivated and working hard towards your goals. However, watching a screen makes us lazy. Deep down, a fear of failure sets in as you’re not sure if you can put in the work anymore.

To cope, you try to find a reason why you can’t find success in life. You try to find an enemy – bad current politicians, bad past politicians, Muslims, Bollywood nepotism, rich people, famous people, any villain to be made responsible for your life not being what it could be. Yes, the system is unfair and rigged. However, wasting time venting on social media won’t help you. Working on yourself will.

Stop complaining. Start creating. Create a better life for yourself, and create a better person. Are you doing your maximum? Are you working as hard as you possibly can? Keep that wretched phone away until you make something of your life. Winners find a way out of the unfairness. You can too.

Unlike hard drugs, 4G phones are legal. Kids can keep one in their pocket. The phone is also immensely useful – for information, shopping or online classes. It can be used to grow and learn. But it can also literally destroy a young person’s life, and even an entire generation.

For it’s up to the youth to take India where they want to take it. Imagine the generation that got us Independence. How cool were they? They were out there, fighting to make India free. I still remember the Mandal Commission protests, or the 2011 Anna protests. The youth cared about national issues. Today, does the youth actually care about what truly impacts us? Or do they emotionally react to news based on how sensational, entertaining or crazy it is?

The super important, urgent priority is to make our economy grow again. China is five times richer than us. Google pictures of Chinese cities on the Internet. We have to do so much to get there. Should we focus on that? Or should we outrage over harmless ads that show an inter-religious couple? Should you focus on your career, or should you waste your time on never ending historical Hindu-Muslim issues? You want to build a good life or solve Bollywood conspiracies?

You, the youth of today, will decide the answers to these questions. No leader, no actor, no celebrity will do it for you. Take yourself and this country where you want it to go. Don’t aim to make India poor and proud. Aim to make India and yourself rich and humble. Get off that stupid phone, engage your mind in productive and creative things and make something of your life and country.

Be the generation that 4Ges India ahead. Don’t end up as the 4Gotten generation.

Love,

Chetan Bhagat
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Source: The Times of India, Chetan Bhagat, 24 Oct 2020

Electromagnetic Radiation due to Cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies: How safe are we?
India Created: 9 Mar 2020
Surprisingly, this article has been accepted for publication by the IEEE even though it concludes that use of wireless equipment is definitely hazardous.

ABSTRACT: The electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted out of wireless communication modules invarious electronic devices have been identified by researchers as biologically hazardous to humans as well as other living beings.

Different countries have different regulations to limit the radiation density levels caused by these devices.

The radiation absorbed by an individual depends on various factors such as the device they use, the proximity of use, the type of antenna, the relative orientation of the antenna on the device, and many more.

Several standards exist which have tried to quantify the radiation levels and come up with safe limits of EMR absorption to prevent human harm. In this work, we determine the radiation concern levels in several scenarios using a handheld radiation meter by correlating the findings with several international standards, which are determined based on thorough scientific evidence.

This study also analyzes the EMR from common devices used in day to day life such as smartphones, laptops, Wi-Fi routers, hot-spots, wireless earphones, smartwatches, Bluetooth speakers and other wireless accessories using a handheld radio frequency radiation measurement device.

The procedure followed in this paper isso presented that it can also be utilized by the general public as a tutorial to evaluate their own safety with respect to EMR exposure.

We present a summary of the most prominent health hazards which have been known to occur due to EMR exposure. We also discuss some individual and collective human-centric protective and preventive measures that can be undertaken to reduce the risk of EMR absorption. This paper analyses radiation safety in pre-5G networks and uses the insight gained to raises valuable concerns regarding EMR safety in the upcoming 5G networks.

* SNIP * read the entire article via the source link below...
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Source: IEEE, Naren et al., 26 Feb 2020

Mobile tower radiation can be carcinogenic
India Created: 14 Feb 2019
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, organised a lecture on the topic “Electromagnetic radiation from cellphone towers: A potential health hazard for birds, bees and humans”.

Dr Chanda Siddoo Atwal from Canada delivered a lecture on the topic.
Dr PK Chhuneja, Head, Department of Entomology, said the lecture, second in the series of Dr AS Atwal memorial lecture series was arranged to sensitise faculty and students about harmful impact of radiations from devices, including microwaves, cell phones and cell phone towers.

Dr Atwal discussed how high-frequency radio waves from microwaves increase the risk of leukemia among children and electromagnetic radiation from cell phone towers could soon be established as complete carcinogen.
DNA damage, chromosomal inability resulting in cell death is also an outcome of exposure to microwave radiation, said Dr Atwal.
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Source: Tribune News Service, 13 Feb 2019

NBTC asks WHO for clarity on telecom base health risks
India Created: 13 Nov 2018
The telecom regulator is urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to clarify whether radio-frequency electromagnetic fields emitted by telecom base stations have any effect on public health.

The move aims to address concerns and complaints made against base stations and lodged against mobile operators, the regulator and local governments for the past decade.

Takorn Tantasith, secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), submitted an official letter to WHO last month urging it to address the concern and confusion about whether radio-frequency electromagnetic fields affect public health because of all the digital infrastructure development in the country.

Mr Takorn is participating in the annual meeting of Global Coordination of Research and Health Policy on RF Electromagnetic Fields in Paris from Nov 12-14.

This is the first time the NBTC's secretary-general has given a speech on radio-frequency electromagnetic fields and public health in Thailand.

Mr Takorn is about to re-discover the old adage that you can't prove a negative.

In a report in 2011 (PDF format), the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified radio-frequency electromagnetic fields as "possibly carcinogenic to humans".

Neither the reporting agency nor WHO headquarters have expanded on that report or clarified what "possibly" means.

The IARC report said that "possibly carcinogenic to humans" means there is "limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals".

To reach its unsatisfactory and inconclusive report, the IARC convened a panel of 31 experts to look at the available evidence.

In short, their conclusion is what Mr Takorn doesn't want to hear: that there is some evidence linking mobile phones to cancer, but the evidence is too weak to make any strong conclusions

The chairman of the group, US pulmonary physician and epidemiologist Dr Jonathan Samet, said at the time of the 2011 report that, "The conclusion means that there could be some risk, and therefore we need to keep a close watch for a link between cell phones and cancer risk."

However, that "close watch" - if it has occurred at all - has been opaque, as WHO never has updated the seven-year-old statement.

The current, but not updated WHO fact sheet on mobile phones, issued in 2014, can be found here (PDF).

Finally from WHO, a promised study by the cooperating International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project, due in 2016, appears to have been cancelled, or perhaps is still in production.

Mobile cellular services are growing fast in Thailand to meet the needs of the commercial, industrial and public sectors, accelerating the pace of infrastructure development.

The NBTC has auctioned off three frequency bands -- 2100-megahertz, 1800MHz and 900MHz -- in 2012, 2015 and 2018, respectively, for 3G and 4G services. Since then mobile operators have rushed to expand site installations to achieve nationwide coverage.

With the rapid growth of new site installations, the general public has expressed concerns about possible health risks caused by exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields emitted by base station antennas.

In some areas, locals protest the installation of base stations located in their communities despite needing to use 3G or 4G devices.

Some cases were brought before the Administrative Court to seek revocation of a radio communication installation licence at particular sites.

"Complaints were made against base stations and lodged through mobile operators, the regulator as well as local governments. Some of those complaints were made through media and were headline news on television channels. Internet and social media are often used as a mean to propel complaints, sometimes sharing one-sided and misleading information," he said.

Mr Takorn said the NBTC has received numerous complaints concerning possible health effects due to radio frequency from base station antennas.

Symptoms caused by radio-frequency exposure, as specified in the complaints, include fatigue, tiredness, headache, tinnitus, insomnia, stressed, vomiting and anxiety due to a fear of cancer in some cases, mobile phone base stations were blamed as a possible cause of cancer.
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Source: Bangkok Post, KOMSAN TORTERMVASANA, 13 Nov 2018

Mobile usage: Brain cancer on rise, people going deaf, says Mumbai IIT Prof
India Created: 4 Oct 2018
New Delhi, Sep 30 (UNI) There is no doubt that while on one hand cellphones have made our lives way easier by bringing the world on our fingertips, but lack of knowledge regarding proper usage of mobile handsets in India and worse, the dangerous electromagnetic radiation emitted from the mobile towers is much more than set international standard.

As a result, hundreds of people are paying the price of this 'technical advancement' every year.

Findings of a new study point towards something even more sinister. According to the latest research, using cellphones for more than half an hour daily can double the risk of brain tumour in the next 10 years.

The crusader initiating a fight against radiation, Dr Girish Kumar -- professor in the department of Electrical Engineering of IIT Mumbai -- told UNI, 'I recently interacted with many renowned ENT specialists from different parts of the country and I have reached the conclusion that the cases of brain tumours and hearing loss are on the rise. All the contacted specialists have agreed to one common fact: that number of brain tumours and hearing loss cases are increasing day by day. I have published this report in my magazine."

The professor who has been working on hazards of microwave radiation for more than a decade, says, 'In my recent survey, most of the people have agreed to the fact that after talking on their cellphones for a longer duration of time they feel heat sensation in their ears. According to the reports, if we use cellphone for 20 to 30 minutes continuously, the radiations penetrate our body and the blood in our earlobes gets heated due to excessive radiation and heat emitted from cellphones. After that our blood temperature rise by one degree centigrade and thus our body temperature reaches 100.2 Fahrenheit. Apart from this, talking on the cellphone for more than half an hour daily can lead to a persistent headache issue and further final stage of brain tumour comes to the fore."

The former research associate in the Electrical Engineering Department, University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada says, "we are extremely addicted to our cellphones and there are some serious repercussions of this habit. To make matters worse, we are constantly living under the threat of mobile towers and Wi-Fi which is the main reason behind the rise in brain tumour and other serious diseases. The number of cancer cases in India have been on the rise since 2003."

He further adds that a team of international scientists had conducted an 'inter-phone study' in which they had studied 5,117 cases of brain tumour. The final report of the study had come out in 2012 which concluded that talking on cellphones within the set limit of four minutes a day did not cause any trouble but spending 30 minutes or more talking can potentially double the risk of cancer after 10 years.

'We are addicted to cellphones and due to radiation from mobiles, Wi-Fi and cell tower, we are 24x7 exposed to dangerous electromagnetic radiation. Number of cancer cases are on increase since the year 2003,'he adds.
A team of international scientists conducted an inter phone study on 5,117 cases of brain tumours in 2000 and found that cellphone usage exceeding half hour upped our chances of developing cancer 100 per cent. It is on the basis of these findings that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared electromagnetic radiation as "possible carcinogenic (cancerous) 2 B".

Many European countries, including France and Spain, have banned the use of cellphones for children below the age of 12 years whereas in India we treat these phones as toys and hand them out to even toddlers. A team of international scientists has submitted a report that concluded that radiation has a dangerous effect on the tender brain membrane of infants. In fact, it is even more dangerous for the baby in mother's womb.

Author of three books, Prof Kumar states, 'If the cellphone is put in the pocket of our trouser pants, the chances of becoming impotent become very high for both men and women. Case in point is how more youth are increasingly opting for in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The cell towers are emitting radiation 24 hours a day and people living in close proximity complain of irritation, loss of memory and cognitive powers, cancer, Alzheimers, impotency, high BP and depression.'
The professor who has written more than 270 papers in the international and national journals and hass also filed five patents, stresssd that cellphone users must comply with guidelines which warn of use it from distance. The cellphone was introduced in 1985 and arrived in India exactly after ten years in 1995, and it could be said for mobile phones that "it came, it saw and it conquered."

He explains how in 2003 when incoming calls became free of cost and later the call rate became Re one a minute and mobile data could be accessed at dirt cheap rates, usage of mobile and other devices exploded.
Dr Kumar, who is also an active social activist and has written several reports and given presentations at various forums on the topic related to cellphones and tower radiation hazards and their solutions, informs,'we are completely trapped in the invisible spectrum. We were already under high radiation after the cellphone data became cheap and thanks to free access to Wi-Fi at various places, the situation has gone worse. A cellphone which was ideally meant to be used only in case of an emergency, is now being used for unlimited talking (remember, unlimited talk time plans?) and small kids have been given laptops, tablets and mobile phones to play with.'

Excess use of data, mushrooming of cell towers and the process of making towers more powerful, it's hard to imagine the condition of our children and youth in the next 10 years. Chairman of 'Wilcom Technologies Pvt Ltd', Prof Kumar informed, 'gradually we are heading towards the 'cursed dawn' where our children will be facing difficulty in becoming parents and the coming generations might never become grandparents.'

He also questions that by taking precautions while using mobile phones and other devices, we might be able to save ourselves from the radiation of cellphones but what about the radiation of cell tower which is far more injurious to health? Pointing out the dos and dont's we must follow while using cellphones, he says that we must use a mobile phone that has specific absorption rate value (SAR) less than 1.66W/kg. As a rule of thumb, the lower the SAR value, the better it is.

This happens because SAR is the direct measure of radiations, hence a lower SAR value should always be preferred. In order to know the SAR value of your device, simply type *#07# and dial. We must use handsfree and keep the phone on speaker mode if possible. It must be kept in mind that even while taking the above-mentioned precautions, the device should lay on a table or kept inside a bag, otherwise the radiations could penetrate our body through our hands. Additionally, the Wi-Fi set should be kept at an isolated place or somewhere in our home where we spend less time.

It is advisable to switch off the WiFi whenever it is not in use. While most of us are in the habit of snoozing off with our mobile phones in our hands or under the pillow, it must be noted that they should be kept at least at one hand distance while sleeping. Mobile data should be turned off while going out and it is even better to keep the phone on flight mode. One must not use cellphones in vehicles, lifts or when the battery is less because, in these circumstances, mobile phones emit even more radiation than usual. Every six seconds your cellphone sends one pulse to the tower signalling its location. It basically means that cellphones work non-stop. While typing the message we are not in a direct contact with radiation but when we hit the button, radiation penetrates through our fingers.

Hence, handsets must be kept on the table while pressing send. Last but not least, when the cellphone rings -- due to call or messages --the radiation is much more powerful as the wave passes through several towers and switchboard. In this case, one should not immediately put the cellphone to the ear but must wait for a few seconds after pressing the green button, and then say "hello" to the "radiation", the professor chuckles.
He avers that by making awareness and using safety norms, cellphone radiation could be controlled to some extent but the “tale of towers” is terrifying. In our country, we have implemented the standard of radiation of towers at our own convenience and simply ignored the norms of International commission on non-ionising radiation protection which is recommended by the United Nations itself. The range of radiation exposure suggested by the norms is six-minute per day, but we have applied the same for one hour.

On September 1, 2012, the range of radiation was fixed for 450 milliwatts per square metre which are valued for one hour. Even if the range of radiation is one milliwatt per square metre in our houses, several health hazards could start manifesting within five years.

There is more radiation in the main beam of an antenna and because of this, the periphery of 100 to 300 metres is also not safe from radiation. However, this applies to towers with just one antenna, which is a rare sight these days. Nowadays, towers carry at least two to ten antenna.

He explains, "I have toured Delhi for about 30 times since 2010 and have submitted reports of health hazards related to cellphone and cell tower to various departments and committees including the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). My constant endeavours were successful to some extent as in 2012 the radiation range was reduced by one-tenth of the earlier value, meaning it was now 450 milliwatts per square metre from 4050 milliwatts per square metre and was permissible only for an hour.
Expressing dismay, Dr Kumar says, "It was in December 2014 that I had submitted my presentation on the radiation to the concerned authority and after that my appointment is not being fixed with any of the entities dealing with radiation hazards.
'International scientists say that to remain safe during our whole an of life cellphone tower radiation should be within the range of 0.1 milliwatts per square meter, whereas our demand is that the govt must reduce the radiation range of 450 to 10 milliwatt per square mette. In the urban areas of America, one antenna has the capacity of one watt whereas in India a single antenna has the capacity of 20 watts. I have sent a report to the government in which I have suggested solutions to the hazards of radiation.

"Right now, there are around five to six lakh cell towers in India. First of all, the capacity of antennas should be reduced to one watt and after that almost six lakh new towers should be installed. One antenna costs around Rs 20 lakh but keeping the health of citizen's in mind, money has to be spent without a second thought. The Supreme Court of India understands the hazards of radiation very well, this is why it has accepted the pleas of film star Juhi Chawla and several others in this regard. It will hear their case in November,' explains Dr Kumar.

'Cellphone has not just wreaked havoc on our health, but it has also marred the very social fabric. if I ever happen to see anyone without cellphones in their hands, I appreciate them."
The professor sums up, 'This has been said a lot of times on different platforms that there are no health hazards from the cellphone tower but the vanishing of sparrows, butterflies and bees -- who are on the verge of extinction -- is the living proof of the adverse effect of radiation. It is affecting the tree and plants, equally."

Sharing an eye-opening anecdote he says, "During my survey, I met one the owner of a farmhouse in Gurugram. He shared an appalling story. The owner said that before the installation of cellphone tower the lemon tree right in front of the antenna used to bear almost a hundred lemons, but now it bears only two lemons."

A pensive Dr Kumar warns that today we are surrounded with the radiation of cellphones, cell towers, Wi-Fi, microwave oven, computers, and laptops but then it is the younger generation which is more prone to the radiation as it has completely gone "online".
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Source: United News of India, Dr Asha Mishra Upadhyay, 30 Sep 2018

Health hazards from mobile towers: Letter
India Created: 5 Aug 2018
Editor, Scientific reports on biological effect of cell tower radiation on human health are a grave concern. To get signals cell towers are erected at strategic places with receivers and transmitters attached to them. Receivers receive the signal from their respective suppliers and transmitters transmit the signal to cell phones and other devices wherever radiation could penetrate. The type of radiation transmitted from the towers is the electromagnetic radiation that is similar to that of sunlight but, radiation from mobile towers is seriously detrimental as told by physicists.

According to the report on “Cell Tower Radiation” submitted by Prof. G. Kumar, Electrical Engineering Department, IIT Bombay to Secretary, DOT, Delhi, in 2010, one mobile operator may transmit 50-100 W of power and so, more operators on the same tower or in the same location, means more power and more radiation. Cell towers transmit radiation 24 x 7, so people living within 10’s of meters from the tower will receive signal that is 10,000 to 10,000,000 times stronger than what is required for mobile communication.

India adopted radiation norms of 4.7 W/m2 for GSM 900. However, serious health effects have been noted even at low as 0.0001 W/m2. A few countries have adopted 0.001 W/m2 or even lower. The biological effects due to microwave radiation from mobile towers include: risks to children (softer skull, softer bones-easier for radiation to penetrate), risks to pregnant women, infertility, DNA damage, interference with pacemakers used in the body, effects on skin, ear and eye damage, weakening of bones, sleep disorder, tumours, brain diseases, increased cancer risk. Apart from having a detrimental impact on human health, radiation from mobile towers affects animals and plants as well. There are so many studies that have been carried out on this issue and one can get these reports on the internet.

I want to draw your attention to the locality where I reside at Mawlai Mawdatbaki, Pata-A where two tall towers were erected in 2005-2008 near many houses, some of them only a few meters away. One of the towers belongs to Airtel and the other to Vodafone. Last week, some technicians came to connect some device to the Vodafone tower. When asked, they said they are connecting Jio to the tower. Surprised and shocked, that day we came to know that Vodafone sold the tower to a company known as ATC, already two operators namely IDEA and BSNL are using the same tower as told by the land owner. Therefore, the two existing mobile towers are catering to 5 operators that are transmitting radiation non-stop.

Operators of mobile towers must be strictly instructed that power density inside residential or office buildings, schools, hospitals, should be within specified guidelines. Residents staying in close proximity to the towers must be informed about the harmful effect of radiation.

The crucial questions are: (1) Are network operators aware of health risks and do they follow the radiation norms and guidelines? (2) Do they have a Radiation meter to check the intensity of radiation regularly? (3) Who will be responsible for the health risks of people staying within close proximity to mobile towers? (4) Is the Government/telecom department aware of the sharing of towers by many operators and so, the strength of radiation transmitted by these operators together?

I therefore urge land owners to first understand the health risks involved when they lease their land to companies to accommodate mobile towers. I also urge those in seats of authority to rethink the situation and minutely assess the health risks involved and look for alternatives to remove the towers from residential areas and relocate them in areas where they would not pose a blatant hazard to public health, and at the same time be able to serve the needs of the public in terms of allowing enough scope for mobile phones to access signals. I strongly urge the public to understand the ill effects of radiation and therefore to stand united for an issue like this for the greater good of society.

We need telephone, internet and other modes of technology but not to the detriment of our health.

Yours etc.
Bashida Massar,

Via email
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Source: THe Shillong Times, Bashida Massar, 03 Aug 2018

80% of 500 Women Know Negative Effects of EMF Radiations Caused by Home Appliances: Survey
India Created: 28 May 2018
Brightsandz Technologies, a leader in providing EMF shielding solutions for better health and environment, has released the findings of a survey conducted to measure the impact of harmful radiation emitted from electrical or domestic appliances installed or operating within the house on women’s health.

As per the estimates of the survey, 75% of 500 female respondents are high cell phone users as their call duration is above 45 mins per day whereas a study published by AIIMS in 2017 restricts the mobile phone usage threshold to 45 mins a day. Moreover, these 75% are also high laptop users who use laptops for approximately 4 to 8 hours in a day. The radiation exposure from laptop is 40 times higher than the human tissue and body threshold which makes them more prone to tissue damage leading to skin cancer.

Results of the survey also show that 80 % of 500 female respondents are well aware of the negative effects of EMF radiations on themselves and their families. However, a certain reluctance has been observed despite of this which can be related to over indulgence and convenience so much so that this has become a lifestyle.

In addition, AC stabilizers are also considered as one the significant sources of EMF in homes. Close to 70% of respondents have stabilizers placed in less than 5ft. of the head area in their bedroom which results in disturbed sleep patterns. EMF in bedroom disrupts sleep and body repair functions initiated by the hormone Melatonin leading to an unhealthy sleep pattern and fatigue.

Dr. Yogesh Deshpande, Mumbai, General Physician, “These days most of the electrical appliances have LED lights. LED lights emit at wavelength of 400-500 nano meter which suppresses the production of Melatonin produced by Pineal Gland. It results in poor sleep and the resting period. It is advisable that one should be cautious as most of the appliances has LED into them.”

“Also, another major concern is Microwave as it has EMF and affects women health if used frequently. The effect depends on the amount of electromagnetic radiation which is released. These radiations affect the hormonal secretions and DNA which can be a cause of malignancy. Some special precautions must be taken in pregnancy as it leads to the low weight baby & can affect the health of the foetus. As a precaution, one need to check leakage and should try to avoid maximum frontage of microwave by using ‘Timer’.”
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Source: Dataquest India, Malavika Sacchdeva, 28 May 2018

Dna-damage and reduced anti-oxidant status in humans residing in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations
India Created: 23 Mar 2018
Abstract: Radiofrequency radiations (RFRs) emitted by mobile phone base stations have raised concerns on its adverse impact on humans residing in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations.

Therefore, the present study was envisaged to evaluate the effect of RFR on the DNA damage and antioxidant status in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs) of individuals residing in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations and comparing it with healthy controls.

The study groups matched for various demographic data including age, gender, dietary pattern, smoking habit, alcohol consumption, duration of mobile phone use and average daily mobile phone use.

The RF power density of the exposed individuals was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) when compared to the control group. The HPBLs were cultured and the DNA damage was assessed by cytokinesis blocked micronucleus (MN) assay in the binucleate lymphocytes.

The analyses of data from the exposed group (n = 40), residing within a perimeter of 80 m of mobile base stations, showed significantly (p < 0.0001) higher frequency of micronuclei when compared to the control group, residing 300 m away from the mobile base station/s.

The analysis of various antioxidants in the plasma of exposed individuals revealed a significant attrition in glutathione (GSH) concentration (p < 0.01), activities of catalase (CAT) (p < 0.001) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p < 0.001) and rise in lipid peroxidation (LOO) when compared to controls.

Multiple linear regression analyses revealed a significant association among reduced GSH concentration (p < 0.05), CAT (p < 0.001) and SOD (p < 0.001) activities and elevated MN frequency (p < 0.001) and LOO (p < 0.001) with increasing RF power density.

KEYWORDS:
Antioxidants; genotoxicity; humans; micronucleus; power density
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Source: Electromagn Biol Med., Zothansiama et al, 04 Aug 2017

Researcher to hang up - Radiation hunter wary of row
India Created: 30 Dec 2017
New Delhi: A little over a year from retirement, Dasammul Asirvadam Evans wants to stay clear of controversy - so he has all but abandoned experiments with mobile phones and a box of cockroaches.

Evans, professor of zoology at the University College, Thiruvananthapuram, has conducted studies that he claims suggest that exposure to mobile phone radiation disrupts key brain chemicals in cockroaches and induces sedation in the insects.

The studies, published on Monday in Current Science, a journal published by the Indian Academy of Sciences, suggest that among other changes, exposure to mobile phone radiation increases the concentrations of a brain transmitter called acetylcholine esterase in the brains of cockroaches.

However, the Centre has turned down his proposal for research on the biological impact, if any, of radiation from mobile phone towers on honeybees, and Evans isn't pursuing the project for now.

"It can be controversial. I like my peace; I retire in March 2019 and do not want controversy," Evans said. "If they don't support this project, we can work on other projects."

In the college experiments, performed by postgraduate zoology students, the researchers exposed cockroaches placed in a box to different levels of mobile phone calls. Each call lasted one minute and the next followed after five minutes, with the sequence designed for an hour, three hours and six hours of phone calls.
Evans says the results suggest that mobile phone radiation may have similar effects as some insecticides that also lead to the accumulation of acetylcholine esterase and have neurotoxic effects.

The scientists say their findings add new data to the longstanding and controversial discourse over the health effects of mobile phone radiation. The International Agency for Research in Cancer had six years ago classified radio-frequency electromagnetic fields associated with mobile phones as "possibly carcinogenic" to humans.

There is limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and less than sufficient evidence for carcinogenicity in experimental animals.

Multiple health agencies, including the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, have indicated that the weight of the current scientific evidence does not conclusively link cellphone use with any adverse health problems, suggesting more research is needed.

Following preliminary results from his cockroach experiment, Evans had submitted the research proposal involving honeybees to the Union science and technology ministry and was turned down.

The Indian Council of Medical Research had six years ago launched India's first research effort to systematically track the health of mobile phone users.

But the lack of adequate number of people without any exposure to mobile phones to serve as controls - a consequence of the proliferation of mobile phones - has delayed its progress.

Scientists at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi had hoped to examine the blood biochemistry, ears, brains and cardiovascular and reproductive health of men and women mobile users for five years.
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Source: The Telegraph India, G.S. Mudur, 26 Dec 2017

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