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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

House demands action on mobile phone masts
By MichaelFosburg @ 3:32 PM :: 577 Views :: What others are saying., General EMR

House demands action on mobile phone masts

IMMEDIATE measures must be taken in order to protect the public, and especially children, from the electromagnetic radiation of mobile telephone masts, the Chairman of the House Health Committee said yesterday.

The Committee had discussed the dangers of having masts in such close proximity to schools and other areas where children gather.

“It is well known that small children, infants and embryos are very sensitive to the harmful energy of electromagnetic radiation and for this reason, the public is especially sensitised to the issue,” said Eleni Theocharous of DISY after the meeting.

“We heard from the residents of a specific area, who are up in arms and requesting the immediate removal of a mobile telephone mast from their area, which is next to a school of over 1,500 pupils,” she added.

Theocharous was referring to the residents of Apostolos Andreas in Limassol, who are planning a demonstration over the issue on Sunday.

According to the Committee Chairman, the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CyTA) has agreed to increase the distance between the mast and the neighbourhood.

Environment Commissioner Charalambos Theobemptou blamed part of the problem on a directive by the Interior Ministry, according to which: “when masts are going to be placed near schools, nurseries, hospitals and other establishments where there are children, the mast should be hidden so that parents or anyone else who may react can’t see them.”

This provision, said Theobemptou, “must immediately be deducted”.

CyTA told the committee that the masts would soon be replaced by a small transmitter that will be placed on customers’ homes.