NEW DELHI, MAY 30
How does cell phone use or proximity to cellular transmission tower impact a woman’s menstrual cycle or a man’s sperm count, their sleep pattern or general behaviour?
These are some of the questions to which the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is seeking answers.
“Cell towers and cell phones when in use emit large quantities of radio frequency radiation, exposure to which is not good for health,” says Dr M V Katoch, DG, ICMR citing the reason for beginning the investigation here.
“Excessive usage of cell phones or living close to a cell phone tower has been shown to have an adverse effect on women’s reproductive and neurological health according to data generated by studies in other countries. We want to examine if the same is true for the Indian population,” he says.
Different departments of AIIMS have been roped in to conduct a study on health hazards due to excessive use of cell phones.
“The study began on May 15 and the departments of neurology, obstetrics and gynaecology have been asked to investigate the health hazards of excessive cell phone use,” Dr R S Sharma, DDG, division of reproductive health and nutrition, ICMR said.
Radio frequency radiation from cellular towers was, he said, “an invisible threat. We have asked JNU to study the physical characteristics of cell towers in Delhi.”
