Skip to content Skip to navigation

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

Pages

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Assam houses 60% of the world's butterflies

11 Aug 2007 - 2:30am | Mubina Akhtar
Of the 34 biodiversity hotspots in the world the Northeast is home to some rare breeds of flora and fauna that could hardly be seen anywhere in the globe. Of late, a study revealed here, found that...

BJP draws flak over land deal somersault

5 May 2015 - 8:17am | AT News
After months of intense debate and controversy, BJP has cleared the decks for the Indo-Bangla land swap deal in its original format triggering a massive protest across the state. State BJP leaders...

BTAD condoles Kalam's death

28 Jul 2015 - 1:26pm | Hantigiri Narzary
Dr APJ Kalam’s sudden death casts a spell of shadow in BTAD areas on Tuesday. Cutting across political affiliations along with many organizations have condoled the death of the former President...

Assam Artists join hands for “Save Kaziranga campaign”

2 Aug 2007 - 10:53am | editor
Guwahati: Popular singer Zubeen Garg and many others joined hands to save Kaziranga National Park, the home of the one horned Rhinoceros in Upper Assam. On Wednesday a team of at least twenty artists...

Other Contents by Author

Assam: a victim of fruitless publicity

Reacting to some recent announcements by Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, one of his critics said, ‘If assurances, promises, advertisements and laying of foundation stones are the signs of development, then of course Assam is more developed state in comparison to Bihar.’ The critic passed this remark over an elusive speech by the chief minister in a function held in Guwahati recently. It is reported that the chief minister claimed strongly that Assam was more developed state than Bihar. The critic further said that this was a nightmare of the chief minister, who seemed to be ‘jealous’ of the functioning of Bihar government led by Janata Dal (U) leader, Nitish...

Assam’s first 24x7 news channel launched

News Time Assam, the first 24x7 news channel of Assam was launched in presence of Rose Valley Group Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Gautam Kundu, channel’s Chief Editor, Pratap Bordoloi ,Rosé Valley Group Director, Shivomoy Dutta and Soumendo Das, Business head of Brand Value Communication Ltd, who briefed the media persons on this occasion. With its signal tested two weeks back, the project has been completed in six months with all the permissions from the Central and State governments. The channel has begun with a motto to uplift the aspirations of the rural people, With its launch the News Time Assam has become a major player as a media organization in the North East...

Anarchy prevails at BSNL, Guwahati

The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in Guwahati is functioning in complete anarchy. The telephone users and subscribers keep on running from pallor to post for redress of their grievances every day, but there is not a single person, who can assure the removal of anomalies in the functioning of the department. For instance, a subscriber having telephone connection from BSNL No 0361-2491959 lodged a complaint for repairs of the fault at ‘198’ in the month of May 2010. Since the subscriber is a senior citizen and a freelance journalist, he has got Broadband connection also for his professional activities. Due to faulty telephone neither he was in position to use it nor...

Jana Jagriti calls to Save River Brahmaputra

China has constructed two reservoirs of 42 million cubic meter and 31 million cubic meter at Great Band area, which is 60-70 kms away from village Gogring in India, said Jana Jagriti chief, Ashok Anand Singhal. Addressing the media persons at Guwahati recently, Singhal refuted China’s claim that these water reservoirs are the result of landslides. He said, this is not a landslide, but it’s man made. He added that it is well known fact that water storage facilities are needed for power project. Now China is constructing four tunnels. Tunnel one will generate 16,000 MW, while other two tunnels are of 26,600MW (13300 MW) each and fourth tunnel will generate 2,400 MW of electricity...

Hojai farmers victim of land grabbers

Farmers in Hojai subdivision of Nagaon district of Assam are spending sleepless nights due to the fear of land mafias, who are conspiring to grab their agricultural land with the help of a few corrupt district officials, said Shiladitya Dev, National Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party Kisan Morcha. Addressing the media persons at Guwahati Press club on December 8 last, he alleged that for the last few months it is noticed that land mafias have been trying to grab the land by fraudulent means and have been utilizing the services of a few government officials in the nefarious deals. In this connection he has already submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary, Assam He further said...

It’s all Gogoi vs. Gogoi

‘Proud must have a fall’, is the old proverb universally accepted. Being in power one can boast much and challenge anybody to prove his strength. Assam chief minister, Tarun Gogoi is no exception to it. He has recently challenged Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader, Akhil Gogoi, to prove his strength by contesting elections, which is now-a- days is generally won by money and muscle power. The Chief Minister is well aware that Akhil Gogoi has neither money nor muscle power to win the race. Whether he has support of grass root people or not, was witnessed recently, when he called the people for rallies protesting against administrative corruption and construction of...

A question mark on Assam health services?

Assam Governor, Janaki Ballabh Pattanaik, who recently fell into the bathroom of Dibrugarh circuit house, had to go to All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi for treatment of the fracture .There successful surgery has been done on his ailment. Similarly, when the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi had to go for by-pass surgery, he was advised to go to Mumbai. It all makes the fun of the Assam’s health and family welfare departments, which claims of providing ‘world class’ services in the healthcare sector. It is a question mark on state’s health services? If the publicity through the advertisements of the Assam government in media is to be...

Child domestic workers need social justice

Despite child labor legislation enforced in the country, the children in domestic works are not treated as children at all. The domestic workers below the age of 18 years, who are employed within households to perform chores, can be as young as four or five years old. Children in domestic work are one of the most disturbing factor in our society. It is disturbing because these children are isolated and separated from their family. The high incidence of deceptive recruitment and trafficking characterizes it and exploitative nature of working condition makes the children vulnerable to sexual abuse. The North Eastern Regional Domestic Workers Welfare Trust (NERDWWT), an NGO based in...

Mistrust high on Government-militants peace talks

Unabated militant activities and delay in creating conducive atmosphere for the peace talks between the Government and militants, comprising the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)’s pro=talk group, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and Dima Halong Daogah (DHD) and others, is the main reason leading to gradual disappointment among the minds of the people of Assam, who are eagerly awaiting for return of peace in the state at any cost. The Union and State governments are watching for an appropriate time to suit their ‘political aims’ fulfilled and make the anti-talk militant groups weaker by the every passing day. Even the militants do not spare a single day,...

Female health attendants deprived of legal benefits

With a view to provide medical facilities to children and pregnant women, the Government of India in the Sixth Five-year Plan in 1981, decided to establish sub health centers in rural areas of the country. Accordingly Assam government had to open sub health centers in every village having population of 5,000 in the plain and 3,000 in the hilly areas. For every sub health centre one nurse was appointed and for their help one female attendant was also appointed. In addition to this one lady health visitor (supervisor) was also appointed for six sub health centers. As per the system of Assam Government, the nurses and supervisors get the salary according to third grade employees as...