BADIN, Nov 8: Rampant installation of towers, antennas, generators and base trans-receiving stations (BTS) by cellular companies in residential areas of Badin town remain unchecked causing health hazards and environmental pollution in all forms air, noise, magnet, major contributors to stress-related disease.

Unauthorised expansion of mobile phone towers preferring the coastal city’s residential areas was violation of existing laws against environmental protection. The related rules stipulate that any loss to property or life caused by the collapse of tower mandates the concerned cellular company to pay Rs200,000 to each victim and compensate damage caused to the property.

The municipal authorities and environmental bodies having no bylaws to implement the policy guideline and environmental factor and not doing enough to redress the situation and instead indulging in less important meaningless activities and granting NOCs without considering the people’s interests only to raise its own revenue.

The municipal authorities do not bother to verify the title and ownership documents of the land proposed for towers from revenue authorities and create confusion and the conflicts among residents. According to reports many towers were installed either on state land or managed on false ownerships documents.

Dawn correspondent contacted Dr Naley Chango Rahimoon who termed installation of the BTS and mobile towers in residential areas most detrimental to human health, against international laws and fundamental rights, which proved guilty of spreading environmental pollution, anti-life and all time living risk as the area belonged to coastal belt and always in the hit of natural calamity.

He said mobile towers form high electromagnet field in the area and emit Gama rays which make infant and minor children bone marrow targets. He said if preventive measures were not taken people could be affected with plastic anaemia and blood diseases.

He said people living under and around towers were prone to brain tumour adding that such towers should be installed at least two kilometres away from residential areas.

People belonging to labour class suffer from TB and other diseases and live in unhealthy environmental atmosphere with their infants at the risk of becoming permanent psychotic patients due to installation of mobile tower adjacent to their houses.

They appealed to President of Pakistan, federal minister for information and technology, chairman mobile company not to allow tower in the proposed residential area.

They demanded of the district and Taluka Nazims not to issue NOCs to the cellular company.