Gram sabhas, panchayat and many NGOs and activists across Goa have been sullying the general image of the mobile phone tower. It’s the hot issue at the moment, having been discussed in almost every gram sabha across the state. There have been statements made that radiation from the towers lead to cancer. These statements are being made at meetings and also on WhatsApp forwards and facebook posts, incidentally made via mobile phones using towers to transmit such data.
Rebuttals have been made too, by various sources. No one believes the guys who have conducted scientific studies into this. They do believe the local NGO or activist, who gets his or her information from websites online. Dr Shekar Salkar, president of the Gokarna Oncology Medical Trust is one of the many doctors from across India who has come out in support of mobile towers stating that the towers transmit via non-ionising frequencies and hence pose no danger to the general public.
Guidelines for mobile phone towers in India are quite stringent. In fact, they state that the frequencies of these towers be set at one tenth of permissible norms. If that is the case then why are we still facing issues when it comes to erecting mobile phone towers. Around 61 towers need to be erected in South Goa ahead of the BRICS summit in October. But the need for more towers in Goa supersedes even the BRICS organisers’ requirements. As a state that prides itself on a functional and profitable tourism industry, poor cell coverage, in this day and age is a strict no-no. Technological advancements need infrastructure. Goa needs more infrastructure for the locals too. But for that, we need people to start realising that there is sufficient evidence out there to prove that towers do not cause cancer.
Is it ignorance, or just blind faith in people around, who may be spreading rumours that cancer development is imminent if one lives close to towers? Are there hidden agendas at play here? Perhaps it’s all of the above. The root of the problem lies in the fact that there is no authority that has gone out, visited homes and public meetings and laid the case bare for all to see.
Cancer is caused when the DNA is cells gets degraded. Non-ionising frequencies let out non-ionising radiation, which does not degrade the DNA in cells, even at high levels. This can be found out by doing a simple Google search, provided there is adequate coverage. Perhaps the best way to debunk myths involving science is to provide scientific fact.
Dr Salkar and other doctors will be visiting gram sabhas to sensitise people to the fallacy of believing those who are fighting against the erection of mobile towers. Hopefully, they will succeed.
