Department of Telecom (DoT) will launch in a month a portal 'Tarang Sanchar' that will help users get checked the radiation level of mobile towers and transmitters across the country in a month.
In order to get radiation of a particular tower tested, the applicant will have to pay a fee of Rs 5,000.
"Status of the towers will be available on the portal which will be launched in a month. Those who want to get the radiation level checked of towers will be done by the government and he will be informed," Union Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha told reporters.
Telecom Secretary J S Deepak said, a fee of Rs 5,000 would be charged for the test to be conducted by the government.
"We conduct test on random basis and through this portal and on payment, test of specific tower would be done," he added.
Advocating for raising the number of mobile towers in the country to increase connectivity, he said, "A conducive ecosystem for infrastructure roll-out is essential to take the country on the path to progress, and we should continue to encourage a scientific temper in the country with no place for myths around towers.
"Addressing an awareness programme on EMF (electromagnetic radiation) emissions and telecom towers, the minister said, there are myths about the radiation and its impact on health which need to be eliminated by creating awareness.
"Mobile connectivity and broadband are a necessity today and without infrastructure for this, we can not make our society cashless. There is a misconception that electromagnetic emission from towers cause adverse impact on health. There are studies conducted by WHO and various countries but no study has so far established this fact," the minister claimed.
Sinha further said that permissible limit for the radiation in India is ten times less than those in other countries.
"It is necessary to install more towers to meet today's demand but due to this myth, there are difficulties in installing new towers. We want to create awareness among the people. The government is responsible and concerned for public health but some misconceptions prevail and they need to be addressed by awareness," he said.
He also said that the government has allowed the telecom companies to install towers on the buildings of post offices and other government offices and asked the state governments to issue permission in their respective states too.
"Norms are tight in India and we take stern action on violation of norms," the minister said, while asking the telecom companies and the state government officials to run awareness campaigns.
Rajasthan Industry Minister Rajpal Singh said that such functions should be organised in public instead of five star hotels so that the message can reach to the masses.
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