The state government of Karnataka in India has introduced a new mandatory licensing regime for the installation of telecom towers across the state, as well as restrictions on where the towers can be deployed.
The new regime will require operators of telecom towers to obtain a license within three months, the Economic Timesreported.
The new regime has been developed “keeping public health in view”, according to deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara.
Under the new rules, towers may not be installed within a distance of 50 meters from educational institutions, hospitals and religious buildings. Towers already operating within this distance should be relocated after the tower operator received a license.
Finally, the government plans to establish a committee of government appointed members to explore telecom tower related health and pollution issues in each district of the state.
There will also be a license fee of 100,000 rupees ($1,400) per tower in capital Bengaluru (Bangalore), and 35,000 rupees per tower in smaller cities, the report states.
There are an estimated 30,000 optical fiber cable (OFC) lines and telecom towers across Karnataka, with 6,766 in Bengaluru alone.