A BAN on new telephone masts in Muharraq is likely to be made permanent by councillors who are worried about radiation and the potential health risks.
The Muharraq Municipal Council has agreed to study evidence provided by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), which claims the masts are safe.
However, some members have already made up their minds and claim international reports show the masts pose a threat.
The ban was imposed temporarily by the council last December, but was later extended indefinitely until it is proved the masts are safe.
Members of the council's technical committee will now study documents supplied by the TRA, which argues the masts are harmless, before reaching a final decision.
"When a final decision is taken on whether to allow the setting up of new phone masts, we will certainly take into account the possibility of them being harmful," said council vice-chairman Abdulnasser Al Mahmeed.
"We have assigned the technical committee to study evidence presented by the TRA and compare it with information we have acquired.
"It is not a tough decision, considering that there are international studies that prove that they are very dangerous.
"People's health and safety is not for bargaining."
Councillors are now expected to reach their final decision in September following their two-month summer break.
"This means that the current ban will continue until then, but if the committee completes its report beforehand a decision will be taken sooner," added Mr Al Mahmeed.
"We are fair and this is why we have assigned a committee to study it, despite us knowing for a fact that the ban will be permanent and for good."
The issue has been under investigation since September after 150 Busaiteen residents signed a petition against phone masts in their area.
Councillors initially delayed a decision until the relevant government studies were submitted.
However, they have agreed not to remove existing mobile phone masts in Muharraq on the grounds that the legal process would be too lengthy and could drag on for years.
TRA officials have reportedly been visiting weekly majlises (meetings) in Muharraq trying to convince people the masts are safe. However, they have so far failed to win over the public.
TRA spectrum advisor Karl van Heeswijk said in October last year that mast radiation levels in Bahrain were similar to those in the UK, an average of 100,000 times lower than the international recognised safety limits.
He claimed that public misconceptions had vastly overstated the dangers of telephone masts and base stations.
Mr van Heeswijk said that the greatest threat to health was from worry and stress people go through thinking about the issue.
He added that more base stations were required in urban areas to connect mobile phone users, but said these were smaller than others used in rural areas and therefore emitted less radiation.
He said that if people were not exposed to anything above the recommended level, there was no scientific evidence to show there was a threat to health.
Mr van Heeswijk also revealed that 300 base stations exist in Bahrain, however, he did not comment on how many more are planned over the coming years.
He said where phone masts and base stations were placed would depend on municipality planning laws, but added that people living or working directly below them had nothing to fear - as tests showed this was the area with the least radiation.
alaali@gdn.com.bh
