The new Electro magnetic radiation level norms set by the Department of Telecom, DoT, for mobile phone handsets and Mobile Towers comes into effect from tommorow. Addressing the media in New Delhi, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said, the handsets sold in the country from tommorow, shall strictly comply with the Specific Absorption Rate, SAR values of 1.6 Watt per Kilogram averaged over 1 gram of human tissue. SAR is an indication of the amount of radiation that is absorbed into a head while using a cellular phone. Imported hansets are also required to comply with the new SAR value norms of the DOT.

The Electro magnetic Field (EMF) exposure limit for mobile towers have also been lowered to one tenth of the exisiting guidelines of the International Commission of Non Iodization Radiation Program (ICNIRP). Mr. Sibal said, the old mobile phones and Mobile towers that do not comply to the new radiation norms are to be phased out within one year, that is by September 2013.

The Telecom Minister said, a SAR test laboratory is being set up in the Telcom Engineering Centre for testing of mobile handsets both imported and those manufactured in India. He said, radiation measuring equipments are also being procured.

Mr. Sibal said, a scientific study on the specific context is being undertaken jointly by the Department of Telcom and Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with ICMR, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Mr. Sibal said, Telecom Service providers will have to undertake self certification and audit on compliance of the norms. Verification and random checking will be conducted by the government and any violation of the norms will invite penalisation. The minister also said, 95 per cent of the mobile towers are already compliant to the norms and only the rest will need to be upgraded or replaced. Telecom Secretary R. Chandrasekhar said, the Telecom companies have expressed their willingness to comply to the DOT norms.

Mr. Sibal said, the new norms the Department of Telecom is for increased safety from radiation to the mobile phone users and to the public from the radiation emanating from Mobile Towers. Mr. Kapil Sibal said, though specific studies do not indicate the exact impact of the radiation from mobile phones, all measures are being taken to lessen the impact of health hazards to the extent possible.