New Delhi:(Page3 News Network)-In respect of Base Transmitting Station (BTS), norms for exposure limit for the Radio Frequency Field (Base Station Emissions) has been reduced to 1/10th of existing limits prescribed by International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) with effect from 01.09.2012.
Self-certification regarding compliance of radiation norms is submitted by the Telecom Service Providers to respective Telecom Enforcement Resource & Monitoring (TERM) Cells of Department of Telecommunications (D0T). All new BTS sites start radiating only after self-certificate is submitted to relevant TERM Cells. The TERM Cell tests up to 10% of BTS sites randomly at its discretion Additionally, the BTS sites against which there public complaints are also tested by TERM Cell.
If a site fails to meet the prescribed radiation, there is a provision of levying a penalty of Rs. 5 lakh per BTS per service provider.
In respect of Mobile Handsets the following directions have been issued by DoT regarding Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) values:
1. SAR level for mobile handsets is limited to 1.6 Watt/Kg, average over a mass of 1 gram of human tissue.
2. All the new design of mobile handsets shall comply with the SAR value of 1.6 Watt/Kg averaged over a mass of 1 gram tissue with effect from 1st September, 2012.
3. However, the mobile handsets with existing designs, which are compliant with 2.0 WattKg averaged over a mass of 10 gram tissue, may continue to co-exist upto 31st August 2013.
4. From 1st September 2013, only the mobile handsets with revised SAR value of 1.6 Watt/Kg are permitted to be manufactured or imported in India for domestic market.
This information was given by Shri Milind Deora, Minister of State for C&IT in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
