Mobile Towers in Residential Areas: Monetary Blessing or Health Curse

With over a million people in India using mobile phones, there is an ongoing need to build new cell phone towers to improve network coverage and combat call dropouts. As the world becomes more urbanized, the number of places where a mobile phone tower may be built is shrinking. As a result, high-rise building rooftops are one of the few remaining choices for mobile tower placement. The owners receive a significant amount of rent from mobile tower installation.  On the other hand, mobile tower installation in a housing society is not a simple activity that a property owner may decide to do one day. Apart from the impact of mobile tower installation on rental income, several other factors come into play. The impact of the mobile tower on health as well as the impact of the mobile tower on property needs to be taken into due consideration.

Towers are frequently installed in apartment complexes by mobile phone carriers.  Because each structure is multiple stories tall, they are ideal locations for mobile tower installation. Before installation in India, several rules and regulations, as well as government and privacy policies, must be assessed, and the guidelines given by ICNIRP must be followed.

Tower Positioning

The first thing to know is that tower construction in residential zones is not prohibited. But if there is not a choice, a skyscraper can be built in a residential neighborhood. It’s also worth noting that if a tower must be built in a residential neighborhood, it should only be on building rooftops. Even then, open areas or public buildings should be the preferred locations for installation. A tower on the roof of a strictly residential structure will be built only after all other possibilities have been exhausted.

The best places to put up a mobile tower are in the woods or on open terrain. In such instances, cordoning off the area surrounding the tower is recommended to ensure that humans or animals cannot enter the perimeter limits.

Paperwork

Something as crucial as mobile tower installation, adequate paperwork and procedures are required. Only after receiving explicit authorization from the sanctioning authority may a mobile tower be installed. Even government-owned cell phone towers must adhere to strict guidelines before being installed.

Is your cell tower up and running after getting authorization from the proper authorities?

Commissioners of Municipal Corporations, Chief Officers of Town Municipal Councils, Commissioners of City Municipal Councils, Panchayat Development Officers in Urban Development Authority zones, and Town Panchayats are all examples of sanctioning authorities.

While preparing papers, it’s vital to understand what a mobile tower entails: Ground-Based Towers, Roof Top Towers, Roof Top Poles, Cell Phone Towers, Antenna Fixtures, Fabricated antennas, Transmission Towers, Cell On Wheels, In-Building Solutions, and Micro Sites.

The following is a list of papers that must be provided to obtain clearance for the installation of a mobile tower:

• location, as well as the businesses in the area. It is against the law to build skyscrapers near schools or hospitals.
• A site plan depicting plot size, number and height of structures, and plot access.
• A structural Stability certificate from a licensed structural engineer is required. The structure must be able to support the weight of the mobile tower.
• A copy of the building’s sanctioned plan, as well as a valid occupancy certificate, is required.
• Documents proving ownership.
• Both parties (application and building owner) have consented to the installation in the lease agreement.
• Drawing of a skyscraper with foundation details and design specifications.
• The tower’s height, as well as elevation information.
• Documentation specifying the distance between tower and lines is required if there is high- or low-tension electrical wire around the proposed location.
• The weight of the tower in metric tonnes.
• Indemnity bond admitting responsibility for any mishaps caused by this installation and promising to provide any necessary compensation.
• A letter from the fire department declaring that they have no objections.
• Copies of all required papers demonstrating adherence to the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986.
• A copy of the clearance from the Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations, as well as a commitment that if difficulties arise, remedial steps will be implemented, or the tower will be dismantled.
• Receipts from TERM cells or any other comparable authority confirming that all public locations are under acceptable Electromagnetic Radiation exposure limits.

Approaching tower firms directly is the best strategy to rent out your land for mobile tower installation. Indus Tower, Viom Rite, Bharti Infratel, and American Tower Corporation are just a few of the alternatives accessible online. In the past, these firms oversaw tower development initiatives in several nations. You may also go to the Department of Telecommunications’ website to learn more about the firms that provide mobile tower installation.

You may provide the telecom providers with information about your property and invite them to inspect it. However, keep in mind that the firms will only contact you if your home meets the radio frequency requirements. If the site receives a green light, a series of Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) is signed, and the property is then leased to various telecom service providers.

Sanction on Documents

Within 30 days, the permission for the tower’s installation should be approved. It will take two years to complete. In the event of non-completion, the permit can be renewed for a charge if applied before the original permission expires. They must be listed in the official gazette within three months of their installation.

Advantages

• a consistent source of revenue

 The monthly rental from a mobile tower installation may be anything between Rs 8,000 and Rs one lakh. Rentals in major areas such as Mumbai might reach several lakhs. However, the sum may vary depending on the property’s height, size, and location. The owners get a significant amount of rent from the installation of mobile towers.

Long term gain

The lease on a mobile tower might last anywhere from a few months to a few years, but the owner can prolong it to get a long-term advantage. Furthermore, the newly erected tower may have a favourable influence on property prices. When contrasted to other similar properties in the region, properties with mobile tower installation see a 10-15 percent increase in their typical capital values.

Extra Perks

Towers in residential buildings may sometimes be advantageous to the property owner, not just in terms of monthly rentals and terms of free phone calls and internet access. If the property owner utilizes the same mobile network, there is also the benefit of enhanced network service with less downtime. Some property owners also see a beneficial impact of mobile tower installation on rental income.

Cons

Health Risks

Regarding the impact of mobile tower installation on health, there are two theories.

According to studies, those exposed to radiation from cell phone towers are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer. At the same time, research suggests that the shadow zone does not get as much radiation as previously thought.

According to the American Cancer Society, the significant impact of mobile tower installation on health can lead to problems like headaches, memory loss, congenital impairments, and cardiovascular stress. Many studies have also shown that cell towers, which transmit non-ionizing, high Radio Frequency (RF) radiation, may cause cancer.

Some individuals are concerned that living, working, or going to school near a mobile phone tower might raise their risk of cancer or other health issues. There is currently little evidence to support this theory. In principle, there are several compelling arguments against cellular phone towers’ ability to cause cancer:

• For starters, radiofrequency (RF) waves have a low-intensity level compared to other forms of radiation that are associated with causing cancer, such as gamma rays and ultraviolet (UV) light. Because the intensity of RF waves emitted by cell phone towers is insufficient to break covalent bonds in DNA molecules, these greater types of radiation may cause cancer.
• The wavelength is a second problem. Long wavelengths of RF waves can only be focused to a size of an inch or two. As a result, it’s doubtful that RF waves’ energy will be focused sufficiently to impact specific cells in the body.
• Third, even if RF waves might harm cells in the body at greater doses, the energy levels emitted by RF waves near mobile phone towers are not considerably different from the background levels of RF radiation emitted by other sources in metropolitan areas, such as radio and television broadcast stations.

While some oncologists have said that RF waves are not carcinogenic (cancer-causing), long-term exposure to such waves is harmful to inhabitants’ health.

Affects the property’s aesthetic value

Tall cell towers on your terrace or land/plot may detract from the property’s visual appeal, especially in beautiful locations. This downside is one of the impacts of mobile tower installation on property that owners consider before deciding. Despite many attempts by cellular providers to conceal the towers or construct smaller towers, the notion does not appear to fit ineffectively.

How to Stop Installation?

India is a densely populated and human-rich country, with people inhabiting every nook and cranny. Because one person carries multiple phones, mobile phone usage is high in comparison to the population. Mobile phones have grown so inexpensive that they are accessible to both the affluent and the poor. As a result, mobile service providers are compelled to make mobile tower installations in housing societies.

However, owing to the increased demand for internet and mobile service, service providers began to construct towers everywhere, including hospitals, schools, and other public buildings. This creates unease and concerns among the general population, who are concerned about their health and emotional well-being. When weighed against the benefits, mobile towers have certain drawbacks.

Because of the Telecom Act of 1996, stopping the building of mobile towers on your property is not an easy process. This statute allows service providers to erect towers provided they can prove that a restricted radio signal region exists.

Steps:

• Write a letter requesting that the mobile tower installation in your neighbourhood be halted and get the signatures of at least 50 individuals who live on the property.
• Submit a plea to your local Sub District Magistrate or Joint Commissioner to have the tower erection halted.
• Try to persuade them of the challenges and problems that may arise because of the tower’s installation.
• Don’t submit your request by yourself. Take a few of the individuals with you to persuade them.
• The authorities would instruct the mobile service firms not to construct the tower if your request was approved and reviewed.

Conclusion

With changing circumstances and expanding options, renting a home is one of the most effective methods to supplement your income. A property can be rented in various ways, including for ad shots, holiday houses, homestays, contractual rentals, and office space. However, in any of the foregoing circumstances, finding a decent renter and securing a regular income might be difficult. As a result, despite the impacts of mobile tower installation on a property, property owners are opting for alternative lucrative choices such as availing the impacts of mobile tower installation on rental income.

With the number of cell phone users and fierce competition, cellular providers are eager to spread their services to every part of the country. As a result, mobile firms are negotiating with property owners to build a cellular tower on their property in exchange for monthly rent. However, while the offer appears appealing, mobile tower installation in housing societies is not without flaws. The argument on the impact of mobile tower installation on health is due for its final verdict.

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