Bhubaneswar, March 17: The standing committee on finance and taxation of the corporation has recommended that action should be taken against mobile towers within 100-metre radius of educational institutions, hospitals and historic monuments for violating norms.

According to a common guideline, which was issued by the state government on mobile towers last year, restrictions are in place on installation of telecom towers near schools, colleges, religious institutions and historic monuments as those may cause hazards and physical damage.

'There are regulations to be analysed, and then only, a no-objection certificate is to be issued by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. But, as we don't have any such competent official to do the checks, the no-objection certificates are issued almost to all,' said finance standing committee chairman Seikh Nizammudin.

A decision has been taken to conduct a survey to identify the telecom towers installed near educational institutions, hospitals and monuments, Nizammudin told The Telegraph.

Deputy commissioner in charge of the civic body's licence section Subhranshu Mishra said: 'We are going to launch a survey on the mobile towers in near future. It may take nearly two more months to be finished.'

The corporation possesses a record of 500 towers in the city. 'There may be around 50 more,' said an official.

Quite a few towers pose a threat to many ancient temples dating back from 7th century AD to 13th century AD at Old Town. 'The tall towers near the historic structures are always a threat as the state's coastal area is subjected to onslaught of cyclones and super cyclones and the monuments are vulnerable for their locations,' said the councillor.

Old Town resident Sujata Rath said: 'Too many mobile towers at Old Town are killing the aesthetics of the ancient Ekamrakshetra. Already we have experienced the fury of nature in 1999 as a super cyclone, Phailin in 2013 and Hudhud in 2014. One should always think about the fate of monument once the tower fall on it.'

'Radiation from the mobile towers has proved to be dangerous to animals such as birds and insects causing disorientation. Though its effects on human beings are yet to be established, radiation hazards have reportedly contributed to the development of cancer and other uncontrolled growths in certain tissues,' said biodiversity expert Prasad Dash.

During the survey, the teams will also find out whether their location is causing problems for the low-flying trainer aircraft of the Government Aviation Training Institute as the airport officials have identified nine such mobile towers around the flight path of the aircraft approaching or leaving the runways.

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said: 'We will go tough on the illegal towers. But, there are some locations where we need some towers to continue the communication network. We, therefore, have to permit them, but risking vulnerable age groups and patients would not be tolerated.'