KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM MOBILES

It is true that mobile phones have brought in revolution in telecommunications industry. The expected mobile phone usage in India is projected to be 500 million (half of the population) within a short period of time. As per the recent reports, of the service providers are planning to erect over 90,000 base stations all over India to meet the ever increasing demand from rural areas! The scenario is not different in other countries.

Communication between a mobile phone and the nearest base station is achieved by the microwave emissions from the transmitters connected to the antennas mounted at the base stations. These base stations are erected on top of buildings or specially built towers. There is much apprehension worldwide about the long-term health effects due to the exposure of people residing near the base stations and the mobile phone users to the radiofrequency emissions. Health effects such as heating of the exposed tissues, increased risk of malignant tumors (cancers) in the head and ears, genetic effects due to exposure of body cells to the radiofrequency (RF) radiations, etc. are reported in the literature. Indirect effect, which is more visible, is increase in the road accidents due to mobile usage during driving. In all probability, this is more dangerous than drunken driving.

Keeping in mind of the above uncertainties, scanty nature of the studies and the gaps in our knowledge about the health effects, it is advised to keep the exposures to RF radiations much below the prescribed international guidelines. Since children are more sensitive to the radiation, mobiles should be kept away from children. Mobiles are often given to children to play by the ever obliging parents.

There is a need for strict regulation to ensure that the manufacturers of the mobile phones maintain the radiation emission levels of the mobiles much lower than the standards. The base stations should be shared among the service providers to minimize the required number of base stations. Base stations near schools and crowded areas should be avoided. There should be a dedicated regulatory body for strict regulation of the mobile phone usage. The regulators should periodically monitor the ambient RF levels near the base stations for checking compliance with the set limits.