Radiation exposure limit is the maximum permissible density of electromagnetic radiation from a tower base station. TRAI, along with other central agencies, has proposed a limit of 9.2 watts per square metre; activists say this needs to be widely debated and a consensus evolved before being implemented. In some countries, the permissible limit in a radius between 50 and 300 metres varies from 0.001 to 0.24 watts per square metre.

The TRAI move coincides with the state government’s decision to form an expert panel of its own for guidelines on radiation exposure and cell towers.

Girish Kumar, an expert in antennae science and an acting professor with IIT-Bombay, said the level suggested in India is many times higher than those in the US, Switzerland, Poland and Russia and some others, such as Austria that limits the exposure to 0.001 W/sq m.

Manoj Londhe, a citizens’ representative in the state-level committee, says the hazards due to the proposed high level of permissible radiation in India “at all hours” are too many. The way the permissible levels have been arrived at is in itself flawed, he alleges, citing the concept of allowing service providers to do a “self-audit-and self-certification” based on prescribed test procedures; other countries have a third-party audit.

“Most cell towers are above the building, which means residents in a thickly populated city such as Mumbai will come within a 50-m radius. Women and children who are at home are most prone to constant exposure. At such constant high density, it is like surrendering to a beast with health and environmental consequences,” said Londhe.

There is no conclusive medical evidence that such radiation affects health. Citizens’ activist Milind Bembalkar, who helped prepare a case-study-backed-research along with Londhe, said it is time service providers stopped hiding behind this argument and gave the “relevant and complete picture”.