Cell phone towers in cities health hazards?

New Delhi: Cell phone radiation studies are being done to see the health hazards of excessive use of cell phones and also of living near a cell phone tower. Can the radiation cause tumours, infertility or, neurological problems?

The jury's still not out on the long-term health hazards of cell phone radiation, and living near cell phone towers. But heeding international studies, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has begun its own research into the matter. They have roped in departments at the AIIMS like neurology, obstetrics and gynecology in their research.

Dr M V Katoch, Director General of the ICMR, says: "Excessive usage of cell phones or living close to a cell phone tower have been shown to have an adverse effect on women's reproductive and neurological health, according to data generated by studies in other countries. We want to examine if the same is true for the Indian population."

But even before the ICMR announced the study, CNN-IBN reporters looked into the high levels of electromagnetic radiation near cell phone towers. Professor Girish Kumar has invented a radiation meter that can detect the levels of radiation.

Prof. Kumar's meter clearly indicates that as we get closer to the cellphone towers, the radiation levels increase exponentially. Radiation exposure up to minus 30 db a day is the safety limit for us. But the meter reads -12 or -10 even at a distance of almost 50 meters away from the towers.

Vijaya Bhatt, a brain aneurysm patient, blames the cell phone tower near her house for her problem. She was forced to move out of her dream home two years ago because of the cell phone towers right above the rooftop of her building.

She said, "It is clear that when I move away from the house I feel better, but when I come here I fall sick."

Vijaya's story is disturbing. The truth is, as of now, no one can say for sure just what all these towers all over the cities are doing to us.