The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has issued an advisory on the use of mobile towers to minimise impact on wildlife, including birds and bees.
Taking cue from an expert panel report that flagged the negative impact of electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) on biological systems, the Ministry has listed actions to be undertaken by various agencies involved in providing, regulating, and dealing with EMR-based service, an official release said here on Tuesday.
To begin with, it has urged the Department of Telecommunications not to allow new towers within a radius of one km of existing towers to prevent overlapping of high radiation.
Also, the location and frequencies of cell phone towers and other towers emitting EMR should be made available in public domain.
State and local bodies have been asked to relocate/remove problematic towers. Along with bold signs and messages on the dangers of cell phone towers in and around the structures, visual daytime markers should also be promoted, it said.
The Ministry also urged local bodies to undertake regular auditing and monitoring of EMR in urban localities/educational/hospital/industrial/residential/recreational premises, especially around protected areas.
The Forest Department should be consulted before installation of cell phone towers in and around parks and zoos, it added.
The Ministry asked all agencies concerned to ensure that security lighting for on-ground facilities is minimised, made to point downwards or down-shielded to avoid bird hits.