Prominent scientists warn that 5G could pose health hazards

Call for measured steps noting that it could also affect environment adversely

Several eminent scientists in the country have begun a crusade to caution the Government against rushing into auctioning of spectrum for the industry to roll-out 5G technology based services in the country.

These scientists are campaigning, writing letters to Government and Parliamentarians and other opinion makers.

The list of such concerned scientists includes well-known names such as:

1. Prof V S Ramamurthy, former Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology

2. Dr T Ramasami, also a former Secretary of DST and a former Director-General of CSIR

3. Prof Girish Kumar, Deparment of Electronics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay, who has written a book on EMF radiation hazards

4. Dr L V Krishnan, former Director of Safety Research and Health Physics Programmes at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam

5. Dr P C Kesavan, a noted radiobiologist and a former Dean, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi

6. Dr R S Sharma of Indian Council for Medical Research, Delhi, who has studied RF radiation effects on rats

7. Dr Mahadevan Srinivasan, a former atomic scientist at Baba Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

BusinessLine spoke to many of them. Their message is simple: look before you leap. They fear that as the Government prepares to auction the airwaves to raise an estimated Rs 6 lakh crore, commercial interests might override, even overrule, prudence.

These scientists could have taken a cue from a similar campaign of scientists in Europe, who have started a web-based “5G appeal” -- so far, 244 scientists have joined the appeal. The website, 5gappeal.eu, lists out their names.

A quick look at the 5G appeal

The appeal states:

“We the undersigned, scientists and doctors, recommend a moratorium on the roll-out of the fifth generation, 5G, for telecommunication until potential hazards for human health and the environment have been fully investigated by scientists independent from industry.”

After describing in detail how 5G could be harmful, the appeal “urges” the governments of the EU countries to take all reasonable measures to halt the 5G RF-EMF expansion until independent scientists can assure that 5G and the total radiation levels caused by RF-EMF (5G together with 2G, 3G, 4G, and WiFi) will not be harmful for EU-citizens, especially infants, children and pregnant women, as well as the environment.

The public domain today abounds with videos on ill-effects of 5G. Dr Martin Pall, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences at the Washington State University, USA,says that “putting in tens of millions of 5G antennae without a single biological test of safety has got to be the stupidest idea anyone has had in the history of the world.”

Now, Indian scientists have begun to lend their support in favour of comprehensive studies on possible deleterious effects of 5G on health of humans and environment.

What is 5G and why could it be harmful?

Beginning in the early 1990s, successive generations—or ‘G’s—of wireless technological advancement have improved communications in the world.

Wireless technology works by sending signals that are transmitted as energy waves. One established way of expressing the nature of waves is in terms of how many ‘crests’ and ‘troughs’ are generated per second, or frequency—this is expressed as ‘hertz’.

Now, while technologies from 2G in 1991 to 4G in 2008 have used waves of progressively increasing frequencies up to 2.5 Gigahertz (GHz). Then comes 5G, where the frequencies go up to 90 GHz.

Data riding on such fast waves get transmitted quickly—that is why you should be able to download a full 3D movie in half a minute, play video games better and link-up all the appliances in your house to your mobile – so that you can, for instance, switch on your AC from your mobile ten minutes before you arrive home.

But the question that is being raised is - how would it affect a person’s health and well-being?

For sure, such questions have come up before, even in the context of 3G and 4G, but this time around the voices are shriller because the risks could be significantly higher.

Dr L V Krishnan cautions that beam 5G radiations on some rats or humans is not enough. Ill effects of radiation often shows up after a time lag. Even if humans are shown to be safe, the effects on flora and fauna must be comprehensively studied, he says.

Krishnan and others point out that there are many instances where birds and animals have died where 5G experiments have been conducted. The connection between the deaths and 5G has not been proved, but has not been disproved either.

A need for comprehensive studies

“There must be a road map, and the roll-out could be done guardedly, in phases,” Krishnan told BusinessLine.

Radiation is of two types—ionizing and non-ionizing. Gamma rays and X-rays are ionizing, they are so energetic that they rip break atoms in our body and cause cancer. Sunlight and waves from TV sets are non-ionizing, they are okay.

Defenders of 5G point out that the 5G radiation is non-ionizing, hence safe. “That is rubbish,” says Dr Kesavan, pointing out that even UV rays from the sun are non-ionizing, but they do cause cancer.

One video on 5G’s harmful effects wonders if the recorded fall in sperm count in males has something to do with cell phones kept in pockets. “We bathe our genitals in radiation all the time,” it says.

The scientists are at pains to stress that they are not alarmists, nor anti-technology Luddites.

“We have to convince the powers that be in India that during test phase prior to introducing 5G as a regular technology, government, medical commission-monitored cell biology measurements must be mandatory, says Dr Mahadevan Srinivasan.

“I am all for giving people the benefit of technology,” say Dr T Ramasami, “but we must do comprehensive studies to ensure that people are not harmed.”

Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/scientists-caution-government-to-go-slow-on-5g-roll-out/article28737197.ece (Accessed on July 29, 2019)

Eminence list to be slashed to 20 institutes

New Delhi: The government is set to trim down the list of Institutes of Eminence from 30 to 20 and has called a meeting of the University Grants Commission (UGC) on August 9 for the purpose. 

The UGC will be tasked to rank the institutes on certain parameters that was not done by the expert panel, which had prepared the list. An intervention from the Prime Minister’s Office last week fuelled the move. 
The empowered expert committee, chaired by former chief election commissioner  .. 

Read more at://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/70426071.cms?from=mdr&utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

‘The right to information has been recognised as a fundamental right … a powerful RTI movement must checkmate government’

Last week, NDA government succeeded in getting contentious amendments to RTI Act passed by Parliament. Social activist Aruna Roy, who was at the forefront of the movement to persuade Parliament to enact the original law, speaks to Anindo Dey about the development:

The government said the RTI Act amendments set right the anomaly of the Information Commissions, which are statutory bodies, being treated on a par with the Election Commission, a constitutional body. What is the problem with this?

There is nothing legally which prevents the Information Commissions from being equated with the EC. In fact this was a positive provision passed unanimously by the Parliament, on the recommendation of the standing committee, where NDA members played an important part. Other statutory posts – CVC and Lokpal – have also been treated on a par with constitutional posts to ensure independent functioning. These amendments demonstrate that the government is clearly threatened by independent Information Commissions.

What are the fears of the government?

RTI empowers the citizen to question power, and this government is clearly uncomfortable with the information citizens are managing to extract from government. Many important questions have been asked of the political power elite over the years, including about electoral funding, non-performing assets, accuracy of information provided in electoral affidavits, spectrum allotments and defence deals. Over 60 lakh applications are filed every year asking for information. No one in power wants to be really transparent or held accountable.

How will the amendment affect the independence of the Information Commission?

The five-year tenure without transfer or interference guaranteed by law, gave the commissioner full freedom to work independently to implement the law. When the government arrogates to itself the powers to fix tenure, status, salaries, terms and conditions, they will be the de facto masters. They can then control the nature of orders, and exercise power to influence all decisions.

What are the other issues to consider in this amendment?

This Bill gives the central government the power to decide the tenure and compensation of even the State Information Commissioners. Such an amendment goes against the claims of the prime minister of his belief in federalism.

Isn’t it the prerogative of government to use its parliamentary majority to pass legislation?

To begin with, the government should frankly disclose the reason for pushing through such an amendment. They should also realise deliberation is as much a part of democracy as the vote. Having an electoral majority does not give them the right to ride roughshod over people’s views. In a democracy, the people are sovereign, and they have a right to question their representative at all times and participate in decision making. Transparency and RTI are essential to a strong participatory democracy. A parliamentary majority cannot take away the rights of people who voted them in. These amendments were not part of their election manifesto, and therefore there is no basis to asserting a connection with an electoral majority.

Do you think the opposition’s demand that the Bill be sent to a select committee was just a tactic of delay?

The demand to send such an important Bill to a parliamentary committee for scrutiny and examination, is both reasonable and necessary. It would have given citizens and experts an opportunity to testify before the committee, so that proper deliberation could take place. There has been no public consultation, in complete contravention of the law ministry’s mandatory “pre-legislative consultative policy”. The government has refused to involve citizens in this debate and rammed the Bill through both Houses, without sending it to a standing committee or a select committee. In previous attempts to amend the RTI Act and the rules, by UPA and NDA, limited public consultation did take place. This unseemly haste, to unilaterally push through an unpopular amendment is undemocratic. It is clearly motivated by narrow, partisan interests.

Will these amendments render the RTI Act completely useless? What do you plan to do next?

Access to information does not owe its existence as a right, to RTI. The right to information has been recognised as a fundamental right under Part III of the Constitution by the Supreme Court in several cases. The RTI Act, 2005, simply provided an extended regime for enabling effective implementation of the fundamental right to information. While the appeals to the Commissions will be drastically affected by this decision, RTI activists have been through years of struggle to make a strong Act against great odds. Therefore, the response must be even more determined. A powerful RTI movement must checkmate the government and demand that Information Commissions be formally made into constitutional bodies. That will be in consonance with the demands of the people, and the stated objective of government that they want to strengthen the Act.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/the-interviews-blog/the-right-to-information-has-been-recognised-as-a-fundamental-right-a-powerful-rti-movement-must-checkmate-government/ (Accessed on July 29, 2019)

Top institutes to mentor weak counterparts

The Centre has rolled out a scheme wherein top-rated public and private higher education institutions will help their underperforming counterparts sharpen up their act.

Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/top-institutes-to-mentor-weak-counterparts-750376.html

MU to resume written test for PhD degree aspirants soon

GAYA: Magadh University is to resume the practice of holding written test for PhD degree aspirants. The practice was discarded a few years ago in view of University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation 2009. In 2016, the UGC amended the guidelines, detailing eligibility, duration and relaxation and other criteria. The MU academic council, at its meeting held on Friday, adopted the UGC regulation that stipulates conditions for award of PhD degrees. MU’s officiating VC Prof D P Tiwari presided over the academic council meet.

MU’s PRO Prof Sidhnath Prasad said the process for conducting the test and holding classes on research methodology will begin soon. “The result of the test, to be known as RET (research eligibility test), will be valid for one year. The RET shall be for qualifying purpose only. Relaxation of 5% in qualifying marks shall be given to SC/ST and persons with disability. The RET syllabus will consist of 50% of research methodology and 50% subject specific,” he said.

As per the Academic Council decision, multiple-choice objective questions with no negative marking will be asked in the RET.
Certain categories of PhD degree aspirants have been exempted from the RET. However, they will have to appear at the interview and viva voce along with the RET qualifiers. In order to qualify, a degree aspirant will have to secure a minimum of 50% in the test.

Those exempted from the written test include NET qualifiers, recipients of All India Fellowship, employees of any other university or institution or college or government department or public sector undertaking or Research and Development (R & D) organization or private industry, who is sponsored as a full-time candidate by the said organization, with at least two years of experience in the relevant area, and who is relieved on study leave for a period of not less than two years for pursuing PhD programme in a department of the university.

Foreign nationals, who are recipient of fellowship by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and sponsored by their government along with self-financing foreign nationals admitted through the embassies or high commission of their country or admitted under a MoU with due clearance from the Indian Missions abroad would also be exempted from written test.

Source: The Times of India dated July 28, 2019

Unfilled seats: AICTE won’t accredit new colleges for 2yrs

Chennai:

Engineering admission has dropped to 50%-55% in the last four years and due to the huge vacancies in colleges, the All India Council for Technical Education will not accredit new engineering and pharma colleges for the next two years, AICTE chairman Anil D Sahasrabudhe said on Sunday.

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“Colleges with less admissions cannot survive as they are not able to pay salaries and maintain the infrastructure,” he said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology’s 28^th convocation.

When asked about vacancies, Sahasrabudhe said, “In the last four years, engineering admissions have dropped to 50%- 55% and 2.5 lakh seats have been cut. So, there are huge vacancies in engineering colleges”. Such colleges are reducing intake or shutting down, he added.

The council is mulling a common entrance test for engineering, twice a year, and the better of the two scores will be considered for admission. “But many states wanted time to make their syllabi on par with CBSE first,” he said.

In the convocation, Union secretary for ministry of earth sciences M N Rajeevan, Mars Orbiter Mission project director S Arunan, Isro’s human space flight programme director S Unnikrishnan Nair and senior Isro scientist R Umamaheswaran received honorary doctorates. Degrees were given to 3,029 graduates.

Source: The Times of India (Chennai) dated July 29, 2019

230 Colleges Fill Less Than 30% Seats After Counselling

Eleven government and two private colleges filled all their seats while 16 private colleges could not get a single student this year after four rounds of online counselling conducted by the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) committee. And 54% seats in 479 colleges remain vacant.

Like previous years, 230 colleges filled less than 30% of seats. Of 1,67,101 seats available for counselling, 76,364 were filled.

“More than 200 colleges could not fill 30% of seats in the past four years. If the trend continues, the colleges could lose 50% of seats,” said career consultant Jayaprakash Gandhi. If colleges have less than 30% admissions for five consecutive years, AICTE cuts seats by 50%.

Computer science and civil engineering emerged as most and least preferred streams while mechanical engineering saw a huge drop in demand, with only 36% of seats filled. Colleges in Chennai and Coimbatore regions got more students. As many as 1,519 students from previous rounds participated in the fourth round due to improper choice filling.

In a curious case, 30,702 seats were filled in the fourth and final round (cut-off 114.75 to 77.5), registering the maximum enrolment in four rounds.

Experts said the changes in post-matric scholarship to SC students increased the allotments in fourth round. “Now, only students admitted through counselling can claim reimbursement. So students who joined colleges under management quota have shifted to government quota,” the principal of a city college said.

“But more than 85% of the students in the fourth round have got their first choices. Private colleges may have filled the choices on behalf of the students,” Jayaprakash Gandhi said.

“Due to poor results and tough question papers, the students preferred autonomous colleges to affiliated colleges,” a principal from Trichy said.

TNEA began supplementary counselling for students who did not apply for the counselling and have cleared instant exams on Sunday and will wrap it on July 30.

To read the full article, please visit: The Times of India (Chennai) dated 29 July, 2019

AICTE revamps student redressal regulations to deal with more plaints

In view of increasing complaints from students over withholding of certificates by technical institutions, demanding excess fee, failure to provide amenities etc.,All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) issued revised draft (redressal of grievance of students) regulations, 2019.

The fresh regulations will supersede those issued in 2012 and mandates technical institutions to publish prospectus, establish student grievance redressal committee and appoint an ombudsman who will be a retired district judge or a retired vice-chancellor/professor with 10 years of experience.

Giving greater emphasis to the prospectus, the AICTE has notified that all technical institutions will not only have to mention the list of courses and seat intake but also tuition fee and refund details.

In the prospectus, all institutions will have to mandatorily mention each component of the fee, deposits and other charges payable by the student seeking admission. “The percentage of tuition fee and other charges refundable to a student admitted to such an institution in case such student withdraws from such institution before or after completion of course or programme of study and the time within and the manner in which such refund shall be made to that student,” read the draft.

Technical institutions also have to establish a student grievance redressal committee that will be headed by principal of the college as the chairman apart from an ombudsman. Following the notification, all technical institutions have to launch an online portal where any aggrieved student may submit an application seeking redressal of grievance in the next three months. The draft, which was published on AICTE’s official website, is open for suggestions till August 20, 2019.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/aicte-revamps-student-redressal-regulations-to-deal-with-more-plaints/articleshow/70424559.cms (Accessed on July 29, 2019)