Read the article published in one of the most reputed newspaper - 'The Hindu' & written by K.S. Parthasarathy
Former Secretary, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. It elaborates on biased and unscientific study carried out on radiation in details.
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An Article on Biased and Unscientific Study on Radiation
1. 9/7/12
The Hindu : Sci-Tech / Technology : A classic example of biased and unscientific study
S & T » Technology
Published: August 23, 2012 02:05 IST | Updated: August 23, 2012 16:45 IST â
A classic example of biased and unscientific study
THE RECOMMENDATION: The mobile towersâ EMFexposure limit was recently lowered to 1/10th of the existing prescribed limit as a matter of
abundant precaution. Photo: Nagara Gopal
For the past several years, there has been growing concern about the health impact of radiation from mobile towers.
In 2008, Government of India adopted the Guidelines developed by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing
Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) for Electromagnetic radiation from mobile towers.The values chosen for the
permissible Power Density are 4.5 W/Sqm for 900 MHz and 9 W/Sqm. for 1800 MHz.
Based on media reports and public concerns, the Government set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) of
specialists on August 24, 2010. The Committee examined the environmental and health related concerns and
indicated that most of the laboratory studies were unable to find a direct link between exposure to radio frequency
radiation and health;and the scientific studies as yet have not been able to confirm a cause and effect relationship
between radio frequency radiation and health. The effect of emission from cell phone towers is not known yet with
certainty.
However, the IMC recommended lowering the mobile towersâ EMF exposure limits to 1/10th of the existing prescribed
limit as a matter of abundant precaution. The Government accepted the recommendation and issued directions
making the new norms applicable from September 1, 2012.
Among the inputs submitted to the Department of Telecom was a document "Report on Cell Tower Radiation"
authored by Prof. Girish Kumar of the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay.
The report listed symptoms and diseases allegedly caused by electromagnetic radiation. The only items not included
in it were jealousy and baldness! The author mined part of the scary data from "papers" of Arthur Firstenberg, the
founder director of the "Cellular phone task force" which is âdedicated to halting the expansion of wireless technology
because it cannot be made safe". Firstenberg filed and lost many suits against the spread of wireless technology.
Wikipedia, noted his claim that electromagnetic fields from his neighbour's cell phone are destroying his health and
that he sued his neighbour seeking damages $ 530,000 for refusing to turn off her cell phone and other electronic
devices!Firstenberg is a symbol of the collective schizophrenia against RF radiation.
Prof. Kumar uncritically accepted the Bio-initiative Report 2007 (BIR), a booklet well known for its lack of balance.
Advocacy document
The Committee on Man and Radiation (COMAR), a technical committee of the Engineering in Medicine and Biology
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