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NGO demands removal of hazardous towers from residential areas

By Daya Nath Singh |


A city based NGO, Citizens’ First, has appealed to the district administration to remove all hazardous towers of mobile phones from different localities in Guwahati city and surrounding areas to ensure safe living condition for the citizens. Submitting memoranda recently to the Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup (Metro), Commissioner, Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and Member Secretary, Pollution Control Board, Assam, the organization has brought it to the notice that different companies like Reliance, BSNL, Vodafone, Airtel, Aircel and Tata Indicom etc; have installed their towers in different areas of Guwahati city. All such towers are installed within the jurisdiction of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC). High power diesel generator sets are installed to provide power to the towers in the event of electricity failure. While the said diesel generators are running these further create unbearable noise and vibration as a result of which the residents living near such towers are getting disturbed day and night. In such situation residents cannot sleep, neither they can take rest at their residence. Children, elderly persons, students and particularly ailing persons are facing serious disturbance.


It is an established fact that noise has its ill effect on our body functions. Unbearable noise not only disturbs sleep of the citizens but it can damage our auditory and cardiovascular systems and can also cause mental and other disturbance. Such situation can disturb mental and physical status of the residents.


On the other hand while the diesel generator sets run to provide power to activate the mobile towers, it emits harmful smoke in the air and pollutes the area. Such pollution can further damage the health of the neighboring residents living near to the site of the mobile towers, the memoranda added.


Signatories to the memoranda the Citizens’ First’s working president Ajoy Dutta, (former MLA), President Jagannath Chakravorty, (Retd.IAS) and general secretary, Jagannath Das, have further said that other serious issue is that after installation of such towers near the residential houses, educational institutions, hospitals etc; different areas of the city and its surroundings become hazardous to health of the residents. It has been noticed that such mobile towers emit electromagnetic frequency radiation. Studies reveal that exposure to such radiation could have an adverse impact on human health. Under such situation residents living near to such towers are exposed to radiation, which may further cause their serious health problems.


Reminding that this area is under Zone-V of Seismic map and therefore in the event of high intensity earthquake gigantic towers installed on different buildings can cause serious damage to the life and properties of the citizens.


Considering these important aspects, such towers should not have been allowed to install in any residential area. It is felt that the whole atmosphere of different residential area is now exposed to serious risk for the life of the citizens and all other living creatures. It is nothing but blatant violation of fundamental rights of the peace loving residents of Guwahati city and its surrounding areas. It is believed that the state has an obligation to ensure proper and healthy living environment for the citizens in the interest of their better health and life.


Under the situation stated, the organization has requested the concerned agencies to take immediate necessary action to remove all hazardous mobile towers and noise creating generators sets from different residential and areas of the city and its surroundings in the better interest of the citizens and take appropriate action against those who are involved with such environment deteriorating activities.


Comments

nagaraj's picture

Submitted by nagaraj on Sun, 14/10/2012 - 10:09
sir i my house nibhour building having 1 tower $ next to that 1 tower almost 20 feet gap each tower my health is worst pl help what can i do i am planing to rental house

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