Residents of Kallimadai, Singanallur, have petitioned the District Collector seeking help to prevent the erection of a mobile phone tower at Anaiamman Kaadu Third Street.
K. Saroja, who submitted the petition, said that the 3,000 families in the area fear a negative impact on health if the tower were to be erected.
Ms. Saroja alleged that the mobile phone company was erecting the tower in violation of the rules framed by the Department of Telecom, and without permission from authorities concerned.
Quoting a report from a professor of the Indian Institute of Technology on mobile phone tower radiation, the petitioner said that the radiation from the tower would cause irreversible infertility, calcium ion release from cell membranes, DNA damage, tinnitus and ear damage, uveal melanoma, salivary gland tumour, sleep disorders, and much more.
Among the residents, women and children would be the most affected.
Keeping in mind the welfare of the people, the district administration should take steps to ensure that the mobile phone service provider did not violate rules in erecting the tower and that the health of the residents was not compromised.
Badge needed
Drivers of small goods carriers from Chetti Street Junction on Monday presented a petition to the Coimbatore Collector demanding that badge be provided to them.
The petition said that though they had valid driving license, they did not have badge. The police were imposing fine on them.