Cell tower radiation a cause for concern

- Denizens stage protests against cell towers installation in residential areas
- People living close to cell towers are suffering from many ailments
- “The impact of radiation from cell towers is not instantaneous. It will have a long-term effect on the health of human beings,” says Jana Vignana Vedika (JVV) state general secretary Srinivas
- Disappearance of sparrows speaks volumes on impending threat

Vijayawada: Radiation from cell tower is giving sleepless nights to people living across the city. People started agitating against the cell towers yet again. Agitators have been alleging that people living close to cell towers are suffering from many ailments, including cancer.

Jana Vignana Vedika (JVV) state general secretary Srinivas, elaborating on the damage done to human beings from the radiation, said: “The impact of radiation from cell towers is not instantaneous. It will have a long-term effect on the health of human beings.”

Stating that the JVV had agitated over the issue earlier Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Guntur, Srinivas stated that cell towers should not be installed close to residential localities. There should be a minimum of 100 metres gap between cell tower and the residential places, he added.

Echoing the same sentiment, Dr Venkateswara Rao, a medical practitioner, said that cell towers had either shooed away sparrows, or killed. Sparrows, which could be seen earlier building nests in corners of buildings and balconies, were not seen now.

There had been serious fall in the number of the birds over the past few years. Radiation from the cell towers had the power to kill the small birds and disappearance of sparrows was one example. In their death, these sparrows, hinted at impending perils to human race. Those who can understand the nature would not encourage cell towers in residential areas, he lamented.

A couple of days ago, people of Urmila Nagar, under the leadership of local corporator Battipati Siva Sandhya Rani agitated and foiled an attempt to install a cell tower. People from all sections of political parties joined hands to avoid tower installation. The heat actually turned on Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) which gives permission to install such towers.

A few days later, a group of women led by corporator Aadi Lakshmi met Municipal Commissioner Veera Pandian and submitted a representation not to allow cell towers in residential localities as it was resulting in diseases to local people.

Noor Shaik