Environment ministry’s ‘false’ reply to RTI query angers CIC

Hyderabad: The Chief Information Commissioner has taken a serious note of the ministry of environment and forests providing “false and misleading” information to an RTI query on the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation emitted by cellphone towers on human beings.

The ministry had said that no study had been undertaken by it to assess the effects of radio frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) on humans. However, the CIC, Prof. M. Sridhar Acharyulu, was informed that an inter-ministerial group in 2010 had reported of the adverse effects EMF can have on humans and had also suggested that cellphone towers not be installed near schools, residential colonies and hospitals.

The inter-ministerial group (IMG) was constituted by the ministry of IT and the department of telecommunication. The CIC rebuked MoEF saying, “The commission is surprised that MoEF knew that the report was submitted by the IMG.”

The MoEF was served a show cause notice on why the maximum penalty should not be imposed on it for providing false information. The CIC also sought information from the ministry within 21 days on whether EMF had been declared dangerous.

The possible health side-effects of EMF mentioned by the IMG report are disturbance of biological processes in the human body, The report also suggested revision of radiation norms in India. A report by the WHO which considered radio frequency EMF as a possible carcinogen, was also cited.

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