New Mobile Handsets to comply with SAR Value of 1.6W/KG
Penalty, Random Checks Introduced for Enforcement
Penalty, Random Checks Introduced for Enforcement
Beginning
tomorrow (1st September 2012) India will be among the select few
countries in the world to have stringent EMF( Electromagnetic Frequency) Radiation Standards, established
in the interest of public health, for mobile towers and mobile handsets. Indian
standards would now be 10 times more stringent than more than 90% countries in
the world.
The
following are the highlights of the Standards :
Mobile
Towers (EMF Radiation Norms)
Ø EMF ( Electromagnetic Frequency) exposure
limit (Base Station Emissions) has been lowered to 1/10th of the
existing ICNIRP exposure level, effective 1st Sept. 2012.
Ø Telecom Enforcement Resource &
Monitoring (TERM) Cells have been entrusted with the job of conducting audit on
the self certification furnished by the Service Providers. TERM Cell will carry
out test audit of 10% of the BTS site on random basis and on all cases where
there is a public complaint.
Ø Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC) has
revised the Test Procedure for measurement of EMF for verification of EMF
compliance for BTS towers in accordance with new standards.
Ø For non-compliance of EMF standards, a
penalty of Rs. 5 lakhs is liable to be levied per BTS per Service Provider.
Ø The BTS site details i.e. self
certification, registration with TERM Cell, test results etc. is proposed to be
provided on DoT web site for General Public information.
Mobile Handsets
Ø All the new design of mobile handsets shall
comply with the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
values of 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 gram of human tissue w.e.f. 1st
Sept. 2012.
Ø The mobile handsets with existing designs
which are compliant with 2.0 W/kg averaged over 10 gram of human tissue, will
continue to co-exist up to 31st August 2013. From 1st
Sept. 2013, only the mobile handsets with revised SAR value of 1.6 W/kg would
be permitted to be manufactured or imported in India.
Ø SAR value information
display on the mobile handsets like IMEI (International Mobile Equipment
Identity) display. The information on SAR values to be made available to the
consumer at the point of sale.
Ø Mobile hand set manufactured and sold in
India or imported from other countries shall be checked on random basis for
compliance of SAR limit after TEC SAR Laboratory is set up by end of 2012. Test
results from international accredited labs will be acceptable in the interim
period.
Ø The manufacturers in India will provide
self declaration of SAR value of the handset.
Ø Suitable amendments in the Indian Telegraph
Rule under Indian Telegraph Act 1985 are being enacted in support of ensuring
compliance of new SAR values for handsets.
Ø Manufacturer’s mobile
handset booklet will contain safety precautions.
Ø All cell phone
handsets sold in the market in India will comply with relevant standards and
shall be available in hand free mode.
SAR
Test Laboratory:
Ø SAR Test Laboratory is
being set up in Telecom Engineering Centre for testing of SAR value of mobile
handsets imported/ manufactured in India.
New
National SAR Standards from Telecom Engineering Centre
Ø National SAR standards
from Telecom Engineering Centre are being finalized.
Measuring
Instruments:
Ø DoT is procuring EMF
radiation measuring instruments for TERM cell units.
Ø Outsourcing for EMF
radiation measurement for BTS towers is also being considered.
Expert Group Study:
Ø A scientific study in
India-specific context is being undertaken jointly by Dept. of Telecom and Dept.
of Science & Technology in collaboration with ICMR, MOEF & Min of
Science & Technology to derive norms based on credible scientific evidence
taking into account diversity of Indian social context.
Guidelines
to State Government
Ø Department of Telecommunication
has released Guidelines covering BTS Towers so that some consistency gets
evolved on setting up of BTS towers. Guidelines have been placed on DoT
website.
Guidelines
for Consumers
Guidelines for consumers on Mobile handset usage
have been issued and hosted on DoT Web site (http://www.gov.dot.in) for general
public awareness.
Some of them are :
1. Keep distance – Hold the
cell phone away from body to the extent possible.
2. Use a headset (wired or
Bluetooth) to keep the handset away from your head.
3. Do not press the phone
handset against your head. Radio Frequency (RF) energy is inversely
proportional to the square of the distance from the source -- being very close
increases energy absorption much more.
4. Limit
the length of mobile calls.
5. Use text as compared to
voice wherever possible.
6. Put the cell phone on
speaker mode.
When
your phone is ON, don`t carry it in chest/breast or pants pocket. When a mobile
phone is ON, it automatically transmits at high power every one or two minutes
to check (poll) the network.
Radiation
Booklet
Ø A booklet addressing
possible queries from mobile telecom users on radiation-related issues along
with other informative inputs is also being placed on DoT website.
TEC
Test Procedures Document for Service Providers and Term Cell Units
Ø TEC has revised the
Test Procedure for measurement of EMF elaborating the methodology,
calculations, measurements and report formats for verification of EMF
compliance for BTS towers in accordance with new standards effective from 1st
Sept. 2012. This will be applicable for all Mobile Service Providers and Term
Cell Units to verify compliance.
Department
of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications & IT has ensured that the new EMF Radiation standards
get implemented through close co-ordination with the industry.
The
guidelines underline the Government’s efforts at providing the best possible
Telecom services across the country without compromising on public safety and
/human health.
Source : PIB, Aug 31, 2012
