Haryana set to allow mobile towers in residential areas, poll-bound Punjab not interested yet

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government is all set to allow mobile towers in residential areas and is shortly coming out with a policy in this regard. The poll-bound Punjab, however, is moving slow in this direction and doesn’t intend to come out with any such policy in the near future.

This was stated by Union telecom secretary JS Deepak, who was here for an awareness programme to “dispel myths” about health hazards posed by mobile towers to human beings, birds and animals.

Deepak said Haryana officials have informed him that their policy is in the final stages and will be notified after getting chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s approval. He said certain departments and districts in Haryana have been issuing guidelines regarding setting up of mobile towers from time to time, but the uniform policy will replace all such guidelines. The policy is expected to be based on the template issued by the Government of India to different states.

The official said Punjab is not keen on framing such a policy, at least in the coming days. With the assembly elections due early next year, it appears that the state doesn’t have this as their priority, said sources.

TOWERS POSE NO DANGER: TELECOM SECY

The department of telecommunications (DoT) has been holding outreach programmes in different states to share scientific studies highlighting that mobile towers are safe.Deepak said the department tested over three lakh towers and found only 210 emitting radiations more than the prescribed limit.

Deepak said rumours are being spread that these mobile towers emit radiations leading to cancer or disappearance of birds, because of which people have been opposing the installation of towers. “These towers are critical installations on which the backbone of wireless communication rests and blocking these towers could derail the country’s growth,” he said.