Cellphones to be less harmful from Saturday

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Beginning Saturday, handsets manufactured in India will have to abide by the new radiation norms rolled out by the government.

According to the new cellphone radiation norms, cellphones should emit lower radiation and emissions from cellphone towers also should be cut to to one-tenth of the present level.

The norms will come into force on Sept. 1, according to which cellphones will have a specific absorption rate of 1.6 watts per kg averaged over one gram of human tissue as compared to the earlier limit of 2 watts per kilogram averaged over 10 gram of tissue.

The handsets which are already in the market have been given one year to be phased out while those which the consumers already possess will not be affected by these new norms.

Union telecom minister Kapil Sibal said the norms are more stringent than most countries.