Actress and environmentalist Juhi Chawla recently filed a lawsuit with the Delhi High Court against the implementation of the 5G network in India, citing the exposure of human beings and all other living organisms to excess radiation. The first hearing for the case was held on Monday.
Talking about the perils involved in implementing the 5G network, particularly the impact of increased radiation, Juhi Chawla said she felt it was important to address the problems it would cause to the environment.
“We are not against the implementation of technological advancements. On the contrary, we enjoy using the latest products that the world of technology has to offer, including in the field of wireless communications. However, whilst using the latter kind of devices, we are in a constant dilemma, because after doing our own research and studies regarding the RF radiation from wire-free gadgets and network cell towers, we have sufficient reason to believe that the radiation is extremely harmful and injurious to the health and safety of the people,” she says.
Juhi said that if the telecommunications industry’s plans for 5G come to fruition, no person, no animal, no bird, no insect and no plant on Earth will be able to avoid exposure, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to levels of RF radiation that are at least 10 to 100 times greater than what exists today. These 5G plans are also considered a threat and might reportedly provoke serious, irreversible effects on humans and cause permanent damage to all of the Earth’s ecosystems, she added.
Reports said that electromagnetic pollution generated by wireless mobile phone technology had brought forth evidence of damage to DNA, cells and organ systems in flora and fauna, and diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases in humans.
The suit, which was filed through advocate Deepak Khosla, sought a direction from the respective authorities to certify to the public at large that 5G technology was safe to humankind and every other type of living organism. An official statement, which was shared by Juhi Chawla’s spokesperson, also requested submission of scientific studies done to prove that 5G was safe for all living beings.
The statement read, “The present suit is being instituted in order to seek a direction from this Hon’ble court to the arrayed Defendants, to certify to us and, therefore, to the public at large, that 5G technology is safe to humankind, man, woman, adult, child, infant, animals and every type of organisms, to flora, to fauna, and in support thereof, to produce their respective studies regarding RF radiation through mobile cell towers, and if not already conducted, to also conduct an efficient research, and without participation of private interest, and to subsequently furnish the report and declare whether or not the implementation of 5G in India would be safe, keeping in regards the health and safety of the present and future citizenry on India, including little children and infants, as well as infants of generations to come.”
The case was heard by Justice C Hari Shankar, who transferred it to another bench for hearing on June 2.
Earlier this month, the Department of Telecom gave the nod for trials by telecom companies Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and MTNL to test 5G technology in India. The trial will be conducted in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Gujarat and Hyderabad.