Cell phone tower radiation and small birds

For the last five years or so we had Airtel cell towers installed on our building terrace. Our backyard is Ruparel College’s botanical garden, which is verdant green with mango, jam, jambul, jackfruit, coconut and various assorted fruit bearing and flower bearing trees. Before the installation of the cell towers one would wake up in the early mornings to the musical cacophony of sounds emitting from sparrows, mynas, pigeons, kites, bulbuls, aureoles etc.

After about a year, I used to wonder where all the small birds disappeared to as the early morning sounds had stopped and all you heard was the raucous cry of the crow! It is now almost six months since we dismantled the cell towers and guess what? – the small variety of birds are back with all their noise. Just goes to show that cell phone tower’s emitting electro-magnetic radiation does affect the smaller variety of birds.

Studies in Spain and Belgium have established the ill effects of electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell phone masts on birds, whereas a study carried out by a team in Panjab University has found that such radiation can damage bird eggs and embryos!

The cell phones have become an inseparable part of humans’ gadgets, with the convergence of technology, making the cell phone a information-communication-entertainment device – but one must sit back and think at what cost? The small birds have virtually disappeared from the cities. It would be great if technology could look at reduced radiation levels so that the life of flora and fauna are not affected to the extent they are today.

I for one am glad that we removed the cell phone towers from our terrace – at least I can now sit in peace on the verandah and watch the birds and listen to their music again!