Removal of mobile tower from densely populated areas: HC full verdict revealed
The High Court on Thursday revealed its full verdict asking authorities concerned to remove mobile tower from all sensitive areas, including densely populated ones.
In the verdict, besides sensitive areas, densely populated area mean hospital, school and college.
The full verdict was disclosed after the bench Justices Syed Rifat Ahmed and Md Iqbal Kabir signed this.
In 2012, Ekushey Television broadcasted a report on negative effects of radiation from mobile-phone towers. Following this, Noted lawyer Advocate Manjil Morshed a writ before the High Court on behalf of rights group Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) seeking necessary directions against the radiation.
Later, the HC asked to look into the radiation from the mobile phone towers and its impact on people and environment. In the same time, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission chairman has been directed to submit a report on radiation.
Meanwhile, following a court order, the Home Ministry submitted a reporting to the HC saying that radiation from mobile phone towers is very high and detrimental to health. In the report, recommendation was made that all mobile operator and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) should take measure to reduce level of radiation.
The court also asked the health secretary to form a committee with experts to examine people's health risk and environmental effect from mobile tower.
Besides, the HC issued a rule seeking to know why respondents should not be directed to take effective steps to stop radiation.
On April 25, the HC delivered its verdict after long hearings of the rule. The court gave several directions regarding this in the verdict.
The directives are:
Not to install more mobile phone towers and also remove towers from rooftops of houses, school, colleges, hospitals, clinics, jails, fields, residential areas, heritage and archaeological sites.
To make mobile tower radiation according to standards.
To take security measures to control radiation, formulate rules in acquiring land to install mobile phone towers.
To make the BTRC and license owners independently measure radiation in compliance with ITU and IEC codes.
To replace over-radiated towers with new ones.
To make the BTRC take responsibility for tower verification and monitoring tests.
