Recently, we all saw the Indian actress, film producer and entrepreneur Juhi Chawla Juhi Chawla urged the government to release research in the public domain that 5G is safe for everyone. She had filed the petition in the Delhi HC, claiming if the 5G becomes a reality, it would cause irreversible damage to the environment and “no person, animal, bird, insect, and plant on earth will be able to avoid exposure, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to radiation 10x to 100x times greater than what exists today.
Last week, the Delhi High Court dismissed actress Juhi Chawla’s lawsuit challenging the setting up of 5G wireless networks in the country. Besides, the court also slapped a fine of ₹20 lakh on her and co-petitioners by describing the plea as “defective”, “abuse of process of law” and filed for “gaining publicity”
Lets see if what’s the truth about 5G and how will it impact the 5G on humans, flora fauna and every living being around us.
5G is the latest generation for wireless mobile and internet services. 5G is the 5th generation of global wireless technology used for mobile and internet services, building on the progress of 4G, 3G, 2G and 1G. Like the earlier generations, it is made up of radio waves rather than physical matter so it is not something you can touch or feel, unlike the equipment that supports it.5G is more efficient, uses less energy and provides more advanced capabilities than previous generations of mobile technology, and it offers more benefits than just faster downloads, higher data limits or reduced time delays in loading content.
When we use our mobile devices to communicate, they use low level radio waves. These radio waves emit electromagnetic energy (EME). Every country including India regulates how much EME our telecommunications devices emit so that you can be confident these devices are safe. Every new piece of telecommunications technology is subject to regulation limiting the level of EME that is emitted – including 5G. EME from telecommunications is researched, regulated and safe. That’s the science of safe connection.
Some people have many questions about possible health effects about electromagnetic energy coming from Mobile base stations and other telecommunication facilities. Is EME from mobile base stations safe?
What is EME?
EME is all around us and is part of our natural environment. It is emitted by sources like the sun, the earth, the earth’s atmosphere and even the human body. EME is also produced artificially by telecommunications sources such as radio, television or mobile phones as well as household items such as heaters, light bulbs, electric ovens and refrigerators. Exposure to artificial EME is not new. People have been living with artificial sources of EME since the telegraph was developed in the 1830–40s. We can control and regulate the levels of EME from artificial sources, including our wireless devices. Artificial EME is not necessarily better or worse than natural EME. And while EME is a type of radiation, which is simply the transfer of energy, not all EME is the same and not all radiation is bad. For example, while x-rays and sunlight are types of ionising radiation which can lead to cancer with excessive exposure, EME from telecommunications is a type of non-ionising radiation with no known link to cancer. The EME in telecommunications uses energy levels that are too weak to cause harm. In fact, in the case of 5G, the EME from 5G devices cannot even penetrate skin. Examples of non-ionising radiation sources include visible light, common electrical appliances, radio, television and mobile phone communications.
Radio transmitters sends and receives communication using Radio waves for things such as radio waves, television and mobile phones. As we become more reliant on wireless technology there are more of such transmitters and they become more noticeable. Exposure of EME from Mobile stations have no known health effects. EME is all around us including sunlight without which we would not have weather forecasting. Several regulators all around the world and World Health Organizations’ have assessed and researched over the harmful impact of EME on the health and concluded that there are no ill effects of EME at levels below exposure standards.
How is EME or EMF (Electro Magnetic Frequency (EMF) regulated India?
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS (SANCHAR MANTRALAYA) DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS (DOOR SANCHAR VIBHAG), is the regulatory body in India which strictly regulates the use of EME/ EMF. Department of Telecommunication (DoT), since 2008, has been monitoring global developments and has already taken necessary steps and adopted stricter norms for safety from EMF radiation that are emitted from mobile towers and mobile handsets. Government of India has been taking due precautions and necessary actions in respect of EMF radiation emitted from mobile towers and mobile handsets by issuing various guidelines and norms taking into account the international standards/norms prescribed by International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) as recommended by World Health Organization. Government of India adopted the ICNIRP guidelines in the year 2008 for basic restriction and limiting reference levels of Electromagnetic radiation from Mobile towers and inserted the additional clause in the Access Service Licenses. Link to the guidelines https://dot.gov.in/sites/default/files/04-11-2008.pdf
Further, DoT has issued an informative guide on ‘Mobile Communications-Radio Waves and Safety’ (Link to Document). The document covers a basic introduction to radio waves, various terminologies, Do’s & Don’ts related to mobile phone usage, clarification of various myths regarding deployment, use of Radio waves / Safety Standards and frequently asked questions relating to Mobile phones Human health. Advertisement for ensuring safety from radiations of Mobile Towers & handsets has been issued by DoT which has been published in National (Link to Document) & Regional Newspapers (Link to Document).
Going Internationally, Australia is already using 5G from almost an year and claims Scientists confirm radio waves from 5G are safe. Two new scientific reviews from Australian researchers have found no evidence of adverse health effect from radio waves used in 5G Link https://www.communications.gov.au/departmental-news/scientists-confirm-radio-waves-5g-are-safe.
There are two review first First scientific review—Studies of 5G mobile networks and health and second scientific review—Studies of low-level millimetre waves. The findings of the two reviews remain consistent with national and international radiation health and safety guidelines which deem low-level radio waves, such as those used by 5G, are safe for public exposure
To conclude: EMF radiations from a mobile tower, which are below the safe limits prescribed by ICNIRP and recommended by WHO, have no convincing scientific evidence of causing adverse health effects. Department of Telecommunications have prescribed stricter precautionary norms for exposure limit for the Radio Frequency Field (Base Station Emissions) which is 1/10th of the existing limits prescribed by ICNIRP and recommended by WHO.
Further, Government of India has taken adequate steps to ensure that Telecommunications Service Providers strictly adhere to these prescribed norms. India is not ONLY the first country to pave its path to implement 5G, but there are other countries who have already researched the impact on health and surroundings and are up and running with 5G. As rightly judged by the Honorable High Court of Delhi the plea as “defective”, “abuse of process of law” and filed for “gaining publicity”.
