320 mobile towers found exceeding EMF radiation limits: MoS Telecom

Telecom Department field units have tested as many as 11.6 lakh BTSs across the country for compliance to stipulated EMF radiation norms as on December 2022, of which 320 were found exceeding prescribed limits, Parliament was informed on Friday.

As on December 31, 2022, penalties of Rs 13.10 crore have been recovered from defaulting telcom service providers for exceeding the prescribed EMF limits, Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Chauhan said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

"As on 31.12.2022, Licensed Service Area (LSA) field units of DoT have tested 11,61,281 number of Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) across the country to check the compliance to prescribed Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation norms, out of which a total of 320 BTSs were found exceeding the prescribed EMF limits," Chauhan said.

The amount collected through penalties is credited to the Consolidated Fund of India. Expenditures of the government are incurred from the 'Consolidated Fund of India' following the procedure laid down.

"The government has put in place a well-structured process and mechanism for monitoring any violation, so that Telecom Service Providers adhere to the prescribed norms including submission of self-certificate before commercial start of BTSs," Chauhan said.

The field units of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) regularly carry out the EMF audit up to 5 per cent BTS Sites annually on a random basis.

DoT also imposes financial penalties on operators whose towers are found exceeding the prescribed EMF emission limits.

To a question, the Minister said the number of mobile towers installed in Belagavi district of Karnataka as on January 2023 stood at 2,811.