Add key clauses in radiation policy: Juhi Chawla
Friday, Oct 18, 2013, 8:51
IST | Agency: DNA
Campaigners insist on consent of 70%
residents for towers; ban near select institutions.
Actor and activist Juhi Chawla addresses
the media at the Press Club on Thursday. - Rajendra Gawankar/DNA
Actress-turned social activist Juhi Chawla
has said that citizens’ groups have submitted a list of objections to the state
government’s draft policy on mobile phone towers and were waiting for the
government to make the necessary revisions.
Addressing a news conference on
Thursday, Chawla pointed out that the state policy had left out or diluted some
key clauses on the issue as set out by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
and these required to be revised.
“We have given them a presentation on the
key points that have been missed out. The state authorities have heard our
concerns and assured us that these would be incorporated in the revised
policy,” Chawla said.
Under the state government’s draft policy, while the
consent of the owner of the premises or property where the tower is to be
installed would be required, the consent of 70% residents was not mandatory.
The
state draft policy has also done away with another regulation in the civic
rules that disallows towers within a radius of 100m of educational
institutions, hospitals and homes for senior citizens.
“The state
authorities have agreed to the fact of the hazard of radiation from mobile
phone towers and will consider these concerns while making the changes. So we
will wait till the policy is revised,” Chawla said.
Vinod Shelar, BJP
corporator who is with the campaigners on this issue, said, “Though the
permitted radiation levels have been lowered under the policy, there is no
mechanism to keep a check on this. So, it seems that the radiation levels have
been brought down only on paper. There must be an effective mechanism.”
The
clauses
The state government’s draft policy leaves out or dilutes
some key clauses that are set out in the rules by the civic body.
While the
state policy requires the permission of the owner of the premises or property
where the mobile tower is to be installed, It does not require the consent of
70% of the residents.
The state policy does not mention a ban on mobile towers
near educational institutions, hospitals and homes for children and
senior citizens.
No comments:
Post a Comment