ICTA workshop fpr radio operators in Mauritius

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) is organising a three-day workshop on the implementation of the deployment of radio communication infrastructure technical and administrative standard for electromagnetic field (EMF) safety.

The workshop is being held from July 25 to 27 at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel, Port Louis.

The objective of the workshop is to inform operators and other key players about the application of the deployment standard. The workshop also aims at providing operators with case studies for preparing or amending their procedures as well as with electromagnetic dosimetry techniques that may be applied for verifying site compliance, particularly for measuring the dosage of radiation absorbed by people.

The lead facilitators for the workshop are Dr Vikass Monebhurrun, professor at the École Supérieure d’Électricité (Supélec), France, and Matt Evans, programme manager of Mobile Carriers Forum, Australia.

At the opening ceremony on Monday, the minister of Information and Communication Technology Tassarajen Chedumbrum Pillay stated that the government and the ICTA have adopted a precautionary approach in handling radiofrequency and EMF to protect any effect that the telecommunication field masts might have on life and property.

He also said that the ICTA has been conducting regular measurements of the amount of radiation emitted from telecommunication towers in Mauritius.

“Radiation level is well within the safety limits as per recommended standards. It is good to note that very often the radiation level is up to 50 times lower than the average emission from a standard home microwave oven,” he added.

Pillay further stated that in March, the ICTA had released an industry code for the deployment of radio communication infrastructure technical and administrative standard for EMF safety. The provisions of the code are to be implemented by the operators from September this year. “This will allow us to have a clear idea of the radiation that is emitted by each antenna in each region,” said Pillay. The minister stated that he himself is very concerned because of the public’s apprehensions.

Chedumbrum reassured the public that they need not worry about adverse effects as several steps have already been initiated. These include the adoption of international safety guidelines and continuous monitoring by the regulator. This is to ensure that international guidelines are strictly followed. New planning policy guidelines for telecommunication operators in the establishment of masts, structures and antenna system for telecommunication system in Mauritius have also been set up.