KOCHI: What are communication towers doing to bees and birds?
While some argue that the population of bees have been affected by the electro magnetic radiation from towers, some others pointed out that the setting up of the towers was detrimental to the bird population. The dwindling number of birds in the city regions including house sparrows was also cited in this regard. The decline of bee population, experts feared, would even affect the vegetable production in the country.
As the scientific community is yet to firm up its views on the issue, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has come forward to assess the impact of the towers on the bee and bird population of the country.
The Ministry has constituted an expert group to assess the level of possible impacts of growth of mobile towers in urban, sub-urban and even rural and forest areas on the population of birds and bees and to suggest mitigation measures.
The panel headed by Asad Rahmani, director of the Bombay Natural History Association, has been asked to submit its report within six months.
Jairam Ramesh, the Union Minister for Forest and Environment, had stated recently in Parliament that preliminary findings of certain ongoing studies have indicated negative impact of electromagnetic radiation emitted from mobile phone towers on birds, especially house sparrows, and insects including bees. The Minister also said that no long-term nationwide studies have so far been conducted which could show conclusively the adverse impacts of mobile towers on birds and insects.
Questions have been raised in Parliament on the issue for nearly a decade and yet no studies have been commissioned so far. Hence the latest move, said an official of the Ministry.
Source: The Hindu,13-9-2010
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