Patna, Feb. 16: The civic body is all set to ban installation of new towers of cellphone service providers in the corporation limits to plug emanation of hazardous electromagnetic waves from them.

Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) mayor Afzal Imam told The Telegraph a decision to this effect would be formally taken in the corporation’s next empowered standing committee.

“There are 380 towers of cellphone service providers in the corporation area of the state capital. Most of them are installed in densely inhabited residential areas. As these towers emanate radiations that have severe health implications, we are planning to ensure no more towers are erected in the city. An executive order notifying this will be issued soon,” he said.

Welcoming the move, doctors said the civic body should instruct telecom operators to remove the existing towers in the corporation limits.

“According to the established norms, the radiation level of 600milliwatts per square metre is considered safe. But towers of telecom operators emit electromagnetic rays beyond the safe limit. Radiation from mobile towers poses grave health risks, including memory loss, acute depression, lack of concentration and digestive disturbances,” said Dr Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, a senior physician associated with Patna Medical College and Hospital.

Besides planning to ban installation of new towers, the corporation has initiated the process of preparing demand notices for the telecom operators after the cabinet recently gave its nod to the Bihar Communication Towers and Related Structures Rules (BCTRSR), 2012 to regulate the installation of mobile towers.

Sheshank Shekhar Sinha, the executive officer of the New Capital circle of PMC, said the telecom operators would have to pay requisite fee to the civic body within three days of receiving the notice. “The mobile companies have not been paying fee to the PMC though Bihar Municipal Act, 2007 makes it mandatory for them to get registered with the civic body and pay registration and annual charges. The companies will now have to pay charges with retrospective effect with fine and interest,” Sinha said.

According to the BCTRSR Act, the registration fee is Rs 50,000. The annual renewal fee is Rs 15,000. Sinha added that the residential buildings having mobile towers would now be treated as commercial buildings and would have to pay holding taxes accordingly.