Will 4G's arrival impact environment and human health in India?It has not been a long time since 4G has arrived. But from the impact of 2G, 3G cell towers, WiFi hotspots, how dangerous could 4G be?

The cases are mindboggling. Four cancer cases near Worli were reported on 5th 6th and 7th floor of a building in 2014. On the seventh floor of the opposite building, multiple towers had been erected. While they were fighting against it, the four cancer cases became six. Eventually, they got the tower removed.

In June 2014, Deccan Chronicle of Hyderabad reported there are 25000 brain tumour cases reported in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. One can only imagine what is going to happen in the entire country. The cell tower radiation affects the entire body, but it affects the brain more than anything else. The body consists of 70% liquid. The brain consists of 90% liquid. Liquid consists of water, blood and fluid. When the microwave radiation impinges on the human body, the water molecules vibrate at a tremendous speed. The vibration at such ferocious speed generates friction, which does DNA damage. Friction also produces heat. That heat influences the liquid in the brain. Tumour, cancer, Alzheimer, autism are long-term consequences, as it affects the functioning of your brain.

How does it affect the DNA?

As far as the DNA damage is concerned, cell operators use partial truth to downplay its ramifications. They say mobile phone frequency does not have enough energy to break the molecular bond. It may not happen in the immediate future but it certainly has the capacity to break the molecular bond over a period of time. It affects the unborn child as well. In the womb of the mother, the child is surrounded by fluid. The fluid molecules vibrate because of the radiation. The vibration puts pressure on the baby. The chances of miscarriage increase considerably. The baby can be born with a deformity too. Wherever there is blood, water, fluid, there will be a problem.

Reports say cell phones also affect infertility. Is it true?

Cellphone is one of the reasons for infertility. Most of the youngsters keep their cell in their trousers. That is where sperms are generated. But because of the presence of a cell phone, sperm count and sperm mobility reduces among boys. Girls suffer from polycystic ovary disease. 46% of eligible couples in Mumbai’s urban area are not able to conceive, according to reports. People attribute it to lifestyle change. What has been the most prominent lifestyle change in the last ten years? Cell phone. Experiments on rats and mice have been done in labs, which has proven it with conclusive evidence. Cell operators have come up with a stupid rebuttal saying human beings are not rats. But all medicines are first experimented on rats and it is proved that if it affects them, it affects us.

In 2002, one out of 30 patients had radiation overload. In 2012, the ratio is one out of three. Are there any other consequences of radiation?

Hearing loss is another severe effect. Doctors have said they are encountering various cases of ear tumour or hearing problem on one side of the ear. Sleep disorder, headaches, irritation, lack of concentration are some of the short-term consequences. People also develop vision problems. Eyes do not have much protection and the radiation affects the eyesight.

Are WiFi hotspots any better?

Radiations from WiFi hotspots are not exceptions. In many schools abroad, they are banning it. We, on the contrary, are bragging about it by introducing it everywhere.

Then under such circumstances, why the need to bring in 4G, which can be even more hazardous?

4G has advantages. Data can be downloaded faster. We can do video conferencing. We can watch TV anytime. Though I do not understand why someone would want to watch TV on a three-inch-screen. But you cannot sacrifice your health for these advantages.

The norms have been diluted a bit to accommodate 4G. How dangerous the loosening of norms is?

For 2G, which is GSM 900 and for CDMA, we had allowed 450 milliwatts/sq m as safe radiation. But for 3G and 4G, the government has leniently allowed 1000 milliwatts/sq m. If you compare this with the Bioinitiative report that sets 0.1 milliwatts/sq m as the permissible limit, it is 10000 times more than what it should be.

For 2G and 3G antennae, the government allowed transmission of 20 watts of power. But for 4G, they have allowed 40 watts of power. 20 watts itself was too high. On top of that, this 4G radiation will be over and above the existing radiation. On September 1, 2014, India lowered its radiation emission limits for mobile phone towers to 450 milliwatts/sq m from 4,500, but as per the report, the levels are still too high.

How credible is the Bioinitiative report?

Cell operators demean Bioinitiative report. But it is prepared by 29 scientists from 10 countries. They have given 2000 references in 2007. Another 1800 in 2012. These 3800 papers are given by eminent scientists. Not all of them can be wrong. There are 10,000 reports downplaying the health hazards but more than 70% of them are industry funded.

According to a study, the exposure to WiFi can kill plankton in 96 hours, exposure to 3G, in 72 hours. 4G merely needs 48 hours to achieve that. Considering the destruction you just explained from 2G, 3G towers and WiFi hotspots, is it wise to allot open spaces for the construction of 4G towers?

In Mumbai alone, 1250 open spaces have been allotted for the towers, including parks, beaches, playgrounds. When people visit, they will be exposed to the radiation continuously without protection. At home at least, there are walls which partially block the radiation of WiFi. At parks, it will also affect trees, fruits, birds, bees, animals and so on. Birds will start disappearing from parks. You never ever see a bird flying in the vicinity of a cell tower.

How does it affect trees?

Fruit yield of a tree in the vicinity of a tower goes down drastically. For example, an orange, mostly, contains water. When it continuously receives radiation, the water content is influenced and the fruit shrinks and becomes bitter. In Gurgaon, I visited one farmhouse and the owner told me that there is 98% reduction in their lemons, after four cell towers were installed next to the farm. West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala have reported that coconut trees are severely affected. In fact, the water inside the coconut is gone. The problem is that the trees get directly exposed to the beam of radiations because of a similar height to that of the tower. In some cases, one side of the coconut has gotten brown and the other remained green.

Is there not a middle ground? What is a safe place for a tower?

You need to either transmit more power or have more low power transmitters to deliver the promised high speed. Having low power transmitters will cost more. But it will be a lot safer. At the moment, the towers are transmitting more power to cover a larger area. Therefore, residents nearer to the towers are receiving very high radiations. The low power transmitters are just enough for your mobile phones to work. If they go with a smaller transmitter, any place is fine. In European countries, macro towers are in limited places. Micro towers are used more, which are confined to smaller region. It costs more but health is not compromised. In India, cell operators have provided data at the cheapest rate because they save money by not investing in micro towers but they are playing with the health of people.

How safe are Department of Telecommunications (DoT) guidelines in India?

DoT guidelines say that distance of towers should be 20 metres from schools, hospitals etc. But DoT guidelines are not sufficient to protect people. If you go by Bioinitiative report, it should be a few hundred meters.

With whom does the buck stop?

The BMC and the state government (of Maharashtra) are saying that we are complying with DoT guidelines. The directive should come from DoT.

Then why are they not doing it?

The government of India did spectrum auction in 2014. They raised more than Rs 60,000 crores. The government is going to make Rs 1.1 lakh crores from the telecom industry. Why would the government direct the DoT to do it when it is generating as much revenue?

Is the lack of awareness driving the demand for faster technology?

Yes. People do not understand the repercussions of it because they are oblivious. The government is not taking sufficient measures to create awareness at the grassroots level.

What is the way forward?

People have to unite and force the government to use safe guidelines. It is better not to have technology rather than having a dangerous one.

According to the Bioinitiative report of 2012, India’s permissible limit for mobile phones is 900 times more than the safe global limit. Are we so tolerant?

We are not tolerant to radiation. We are lenient to cell operators.