ICMR has embarked on a five-year study to measure the effect of radiation from cellphones and cellphone towers on human health.

‘Diseases that may have potential links to cellphone radiation are brain tumor, Alzheimer𠏋 disease, cardiovascular disorder, ENT impairment, electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome, infertility, anxiety, sleepiness, poor appetite and headache.’

"The volunteers will be given a thorough medical check-up once a year for five years. ICMR doctors will visit your house to see how close or far you are from cellphone towers," says a WhatsApp message from ICMR to the residents of Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR). 




Citing reasons for the study "Effect of Non-Ionizing EMF (Mobile Phone Radiation) on Human Health", ICMR said exposure of radio frequency radiation (RFR) emitted from mobile phone to human population have increased tremendously due to the increase of mobile phone users.
"The WHO/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified radio frequency electromagnetic field (EMF) as possibly carcinogenic to human," said the government-funded research body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Though a review of international scientific data has not established conclusive evidence on the safety or risk of RFR emitted from cellphones and towers, a growing body of scientific evidences indicate the adverse health effects of RFR, which may be possible if not probable, said the ICMR.
Further, as guidelines followed in India are based on data generated from Western countries, the government wants the findings from Indian population living in Indian climatic condition to develop safety standards of EMF exposures, specially of RFR from cellphones and towers.
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The objective is "to study the effect of RFR emitted from cell phone on cancer, heart, reproductive organs, ear and brain related problems, if any". The ICMR has formed six study groups of three categories each for males and females based on their usage of mobile phones.
Source-IANS