A towering problem

CHENNAI: While high radiation levels caused by cellphone towers have been evoking safety concerns among the city residents, a recent study by Greenpeace has shown that the operators are also enjoying a lower operating cost using subsidised diesel at the cost of the taxpayer. What is more, the union environment minister himself has voiced concerns against mobile operators using subsidised fuel, which was originally meant to benefit the farmers.Jairam Ramesh, on the ocassion of World Environment Day, hit out against the diesel subsidy being enjoyed by 'unintended users', including mobile service provider companies and diesel operated luxury vehicles.“There is no reason why mobile phone companies must be enjoying subsidised diesel,” he said. At present there are close to 4.5 lakh mobile towers that operate on diesel, according to the minister. Recently, Jairam Ramesh was on news for his controversial remarks about the diesel guzzling SUVs being “criminal” in India.Jairam, intentionally or otherwise, was toeing the Greenpeace campaign line that called for mobile companies to give up using diesel.The report estimated a loss of `2,600 crore to the state exchequer due to usage of subsidised diesel by mobile operator companies.it also estimated that telecom sector in India to have emitted over 5.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2008 as a result of diesel use and also estimated the numbers to have risen significantly since then due to the exponential growth in the sector in the following years. “A shift in power sourcing to renewable technologies, such as solar photovoltaic, will result in a close to 300 per cent reduction in total costs for telecom operators,” claimed the report. “Diesel subsidy was originally meant to benefit farmers and others in the agricultural sector. But now, the benefits are enjoyed by cellphone users including you and me,” he added.The minister also suggested that the government instead must be focussing on subsidising LPG and ensuring supplies to households in rural and forest areas who depend on firewood.“There are close to 1,72,000 villages either inside or on the pheriphery of forest areas and the best measure to protect the forests," he added