The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Panel examining plea to restrict use of cellphones

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Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Panel examining plea to restrict use of cellphones

Special Correspondent

Committee to submit report in three months
‘Install jammers
in educational
institutions’

BANGALORE: The petitions committee of the Rajya Sabha is examining a petition seeking restrictions on the use of mobile phones in certain places such as educational institutions, temples, prayer halls and while driving.

Disclosing this to presspersons here on Monday, Petitions Committee chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said the committee would submit its report to Parliament in about three months.

The 10-member committee is touring the country to elicit the views of people concerned, especially the stakeholders, on the petition which has sought that use of mobile phones should not be allowed in the above places both in public interest as well as to prevent nuisance.

The committee had its sitting in Bangalore on Monday and heard the views of various stakeholders, including teachers, educationists, doctors, advocates, priests, representatives from religious institutions and mobile phone operators. Mr. Naidu said the committee would also have interaction with officials from the State departments of education, transport and health. While a majority of the people had suggested that the use of mobile phones should be restricted in the above places, only the service providers had defended their use in all areas, Mr. Naidu noted.

Obscene SMS

Mr. Naidu said the committee was concerned about transmission of “obscene SMS” over mobile phones. The petition, filed by one Gurujit Singh, a resident of Patiala, seeks to prevent misuse of mobile phones. It has sought that jammers be installed in educational institutions to prevent use of mobile phones on those premises.

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