TEAM HERALD
VASCO: If you plan to buy a cheap Chinese-made mobile phone in the State, there is a possibility that it may not have specified its radiation levels.
The government has specified stringent radiation levels on all handsets and has mandated all companies to display the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) unit on handsets from September 1. But a survey in the Port town has revealed that while leading manufactures have complied with this rule, none of the Chinese-made mobiles have SAR stickers displayed on them.
According to the new Telecom ministry ruling, radiations emitted from a mobile phone over a gram of human tissue should not exceed 1.6 watts if a consumer uses it for six minutes and companies selling mobile phones in India have to ensure that the handsets are compliant with the new radiation norms effective from September 1.
The companies have been mandated to display radiation emitted from mobile phones on the handset in terms of SAR units.
“With the new SAR norms, India would become one of few countries to follow the most stringent norm of 1.6 watts per kg average over six minutes period on 1 gram of human tissue. All legal and ethical companies doing business here are compliant to it,” said Indian Cellular Association’s National President Pankaj Mohindroo, who was quoted in a media report.
It is learnt that the ICA has requested the commerce ministry to impose restrictions on imports of non-compliant handsets.
A survey in Vasco city revealed that mobile handsets which are sold by leading manufacturers assembled have begun carrying SAR sticker on the handsets.
“Though I am not aware of the new norms of the Telecom Ministry, all new Nokia handsets are displaying the SAR sticker,” said Nixon Jacques, the Nokia dealer in Vasco.
Another dealer of Samsung mobile phones, Arvind, also confirmed that all new Samsung handsets, which were sent to him a week ago, carried the SAR levels and he too admitted that he was not aware of the new SAR rules.
Incidentally, a visit to different shops dealing in Chinese-made mobile phones revealed that none of these Chinese handsets displayed the SAR sticker.
“It is possible that these Chinese-made mobile phones do not carry SAR stickers because they may be emitting higher radiation levels. But since they are far cheaper than the other leading brands, these phones are popular among people who cannot afford branded mobiles,” admitted a shopkeeper dealing in various branded and non-branded mobile phones.
