NEW regulations to set up phone masts in the Muharraq Governorate were mapped out yesterday, 15 months after new masts were banned by municipal councillors. The Muharraq Municipal Council temporarily banned the setting up of any new phone masts from September last year, while they investigated their safety.
The ban is still in place, but some masts have since been erected illegally.
The new rules could be effective next month - the ban lifted - if councillors vote in favour of them at their meeting, next Wednesday.
Eighteen articles are included in the rules proposed by the council's financial, administrative and legislative committee, which will be submitted today to the council's general-secretariat.
Under the proposed regulations, any telecommunications masts would have to be away from schools, kindergartens and hospitals.
"We have come up with articles that ensure that people's safety and health are protected," said committee chairman Abdulnasser Al Mahmeed.
"The council is also aware that phone masts are necessary to serve an increase in networking requirements, and this is why the ban has to end.
"But an end to the ban doesn't mean a free-for-all, with telecommunications companies setting up masts at every corner."
Mr Al Mahmeed, who is also the council's vice-chairman, said that under the new regulations, temporary antennae should be no less than 2.5 metres above the ground, whatever they are attached to.
"The masts should not affect any electrical or electronic appliances nearby, with telecommunications companies being obliged to adhere to international technical standards," he said.
"The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) should ensure that all of the international regulations are being followed, in addition to regularly calculating radiation to ensure that it is environmentally safe.
"Sound levels produced by masts should be less than 20 decibels.
"The horizontal distance between any mast and the nearest human being (meaning where people live or work) should be six metres, while the vertical distance shouldn't be less than half-a-metre."
Mr Al Mahmeed said that masts should be at least 20m from the nearest school or kindergarten fence, as radiation may affect children.
He said that masts should also not be set up on school or university buildings.
The proposals ban setting up masts on health centres or hospital buildings, because they may affect medical appliances.
Mr Al Mahmeed said that the masts should be kept inside closed rooms on rooftops, or within fenced areas, with warning signs telling people to stay away.
"Buildings where the masts could be set-up should be between 15m and 50m high and must be higher than surrounding buildings.
"For those wishing to have masts on buildings less than this height, they can set-up them on a pole equal in height to the nearest highest building.
"To allow masts on any building above 50m, a permit has to be issued by the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife."
Mr Al Mahmeed said that roofs where the masts were set-up should be made of concrete.
"No more than one mast can be set-up on one roof or pole, but companies can go for three within one area, on the condition that they are 6m away from each other," he said.
"In the case of phone mast towers, receivers and transmitters within the same tower should be away from each other by at least 4m.
"Companies are obliged to have no more than one transmitter and two receivers within one tower."
Mr Al Mahmeed said that the council's general-secretariat meeting today would schedule the issue for discussion at the council's meeting next Wednesday.
"My committee has completed the regulations on time, as promised by the council in August, so the ban can be lifted next month," he said.
"We banned the masts on the grounds that they are harmful. So far we still believe they are harmful, but the harm can be reduced and that's what we have done."
Councillors took part in a week-long workshop on phone masts and whether they are dangerous or not, in Cairo, Egypt, in August.
The issue has been under investigation since September last year, 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 to talk to people about the masts.
TRA spectrum adviser 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 internationally-recognised safety limits.
alaali@gdn.com.bh
