TNN | Feb 19, 2012, 08.04PM IST
CHENNAI: The ministry for
environment and forests has commissioned a vital three-month study to
understand the impact of mobile
phone tower radiation on birds and insects in the wake of
disappearing bird species and bees. "I have heard these radiations have
deleterious impact on birds. In Odisha, I heard that crows and other birds have
fallen dead from the sky.
There has been no understanding on this," saidJayanthi
Natarajan, minister for environment and forests on the sidelines of
the sixth edition of
Beacon 2012, organised by the Loyola Institute of Business Administration on
the importance of 'eco-innovation' in business models. "And this is what prompted
us to do the study," she added. She also said that she plans to write to
thetelecom minister.
"They should set up a separate task force to monitor the radiation impacts
these towers have," she said.
The minister also said she is strongly
against the idea of Dow Chemicals being one of the sponsors of the Olympics.
"As an Indian, I feel that someone who has caused such tremendous damage
to the environment cannot be allowed to sponsor," she said.
The minister
is also mooting the idea of monitoring all industries 24X7.
"I agree that
there have been gaps in our monitoring systems. The state pollution control
boards will monitor all industries with consent to operate license to check for
increases in pollution levels," she said. The results will be put on the
MoEF's website where the public can see and scrutinize.
Jayanthi also
suggested that industries have some amount of self-regulation when it comes to
damaging the environment. "We can't keep policing them all of the time.
Industries should understand that green and clean business is good
business," she said. "But most corporate companies have been very
cooperative and responsible," she added. Yet there is a long way to go,
she said.
"
I suggest that they not only have a corporate social
responsibility but also a corporate social and environment responsibility. We
need to know what the company has done to the environment. The companies should
disclose this on internet so that there is transparency," she added.
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