Baramulla, Apr 18: In contravention of the prescribed rules and regulations, a telecommunication company has installed a mobile tower inside the premises of the district hospital Baramulla.
 According to the health experts, no cell phone tower should be erected within 100 meter radius of any hospital and educational institution as the patients and students can get exposed to the harmful radiation emanating from the equipment.
 “The telecommunication company installed the tower in the district hospital premises several years ago after it was granted permission by both the health center authorities and Municipal Council Baramulla,” the locals said, adding the rules were flouted with impunity while giving the go ahead for establishment of the tower.
 According to the guidelines setup for the installation of a cell tower, no such tower can be installed within the hospital premises or the educational institutions as it can pose a serious health risk.
 Shockingly, the cell tower in the hospital premises has been established adjacent to the operation theatre and the Inpatient Department, exposing scores of patients to the electromagnetic radiations emitting from the tower.
 “These radiations are very harmful for the patients and can cause further complications among them,” said Muhammad Akram, a resident of civil lines Baramulla.
 He said the establishment of a cell tower within the premises of District hospital has exposed the non-seriousness of the authorities in safeguarding the lives of common people especially the ailing ones.
 There have been several studies on the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiations emitted from the cell towers.
 Dr. Siegal Sadetzki of Tel Aviv University conducted a study and examined 622 people living from 3-7 years within 350 meters of a cell tower. “There were four times more cancer patients from the area near the cell towers as compared to those living far away,” the study revealed.
 The installation of the tower in the hospital premises has now evoked a strong resentment from the residents of the Baramulla town. The residents are furious over district as well as hospital authorities for granting permission to the telecommunication company. “We fail to understand as to how the concerned authorities can grant the permission for setting up of tower inside the hospital? They are playing with the lives of people,” the residents said.
 Surprisingly, the company whose tower has been installed in the premises of the hospital has not paid any rent towards the hospital authorities since its installation.
 “The hospital authorities, through District Development Commissioner’s office have many a times raised the issue about the rent with the telecommunication company, but the company hasn’t made any payment,” sources said.
 The residents urged the DDC to impress upon the officials of the telecommunication company to shift the tower immediately.

Compiled by Altaf Baba

Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST