BY ENG. SIMON MONE
Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) within stone throw distances from homes is a site that many are grappling with. Due to the financial rewards that the construction of towers brings, many find themselves having to coexist with the tall structures. Whether their operation near us has serious impacts on our lives is a contentious issue.
We are well and truly in an era of information and communication technology. In this era, many innovations are coming up daily. Our only ray of hope is that the pace at which these developments are happening does not undo our health, safety and security gains. Notably, the first-world countries seem to be innovating newer technologies, to be firmly on top of the mitigation measures of the risks involved and there is some comfort because the newer technologies seem to be safer, as they mitigate the risks associated with building towers close to residences of people. However, where should we draw the line?
From time immemorial, the discussions around telecommunications in society have been on the airwaves and are not about to be turned off. These concerns however much raised haven’t led to much influence for telecommunications tower companies to relent. As long as their businesses continue, tower companies continue to read the ‘correct’ texts in their business plans, loud enough for all to hear. What could be in the offing? Why do these companies continue to roll out different telecommunication technologies around the globe?
THE BITTER FACTS
People in the underdeveloped world suffer as a result of old technologies. Yet some seem to be comfortable with having these massive structures called Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) within stone-throw distances from their homes. Due to the financial rewards that the construction of towers brings, we find ourselves having to coexist with these tall structures. We rent out a few square meters of our land to these tower developers and walk straight to the bank a few million shillings happier. Whether the operation of BTSs near us has serious impacts on our lives is secondary, we will only find out after visiting a health facility, prompted by a sudden breakdown in our health. What we know for a fact is that these BTSs transmit some electromotive forces (EMFs) that could be hazardous to us. It is the magnitude of these radiations that many researchers continue the struggle to find.
THE GROUNDWORK
For now, we hide behind the limited knowledge of the negative impact of having BTSs at our dwelling places. Before erecting the BTSs, potential developers should obtain an environment and social impact assessment report and certificate from the appropriate authority responsible for conducting such assessments. It ascertains that the continuous presence of these towers in our vicinity has a low risk of harming us, depending on the distance from populations at which such towers stand. Without these assessments, it will not be legal to construct such towers at locations that the law does not permit. With this, we know that there are regulations for the telecommunication towers.
DISCUSSIONS BEHIND THE SCENES
Not all these towers comply with the regulatory requirements. By the year 2020, there were about 5,000 BTSs dotted all over Uganda. Yet, there are still widespread complaints about the poor transmission quality. So, how many more towers shall we need to stop to complain about the sound quality? By the time this happens, no compound will be without a tower. By this time, our suspicions about the impact of the incorrect presence of such towers in the vicinity of human settlements will have increased. Due to its cheaper installation costs, we find that companies are installing these high-rise structures in every location they see fit for their installation, provided that companies discuss well with the owners of these spaces.
The owners look at the economic benefit of installing these towers on their land and so are more likely to allow the installation even without verifying if the installation companies have acquired the necessary permits and authorizations from the responsible offices to allow them to proceed and construct such towers. That is why there is a strong feeling that several such towers have been put in places, which the law does not allow.
THE PRICE TO PAY
Coexisting with towers is potentially putting the health of people at risk. The first impact of the presence of the towers is that they potentially could fall on buildings during periods of poor weather when not properly constructed. It means that residents are at risk of being crushed by the towers. Secondly, we also suspect that there is the potential that these towers emit hazardous radiations in the form of electromotive forces (EMF) that could pose a health risk to people who live near these towers. The other impact is that the presence of these towers makes the skyline look ugly. Whereas some developed countries use technologies that allow cables to pass underground, many undeveloped countries prefer to use high-rise towers.
Imagine having these towers in every space for a better call signal. It is ugly – the urban centers are littered with tower structures, making them unpleasant to the eyes. Yet, in a bid to meet connectivity demand, you find that BTS tower companies continue to build new structures. A good solution would be to build fewer towers to host multiple companies, rather than individual companies’ intent on building their own to provide coverage, hence the littering of the towns. Landowners enter into agreements with tower companies to locate towers on their land.
Towers stay in place for some time. They consume space that should be used for other developments. It forces owners to surrender their spaces for such purposes and forget them during the duration that the towers are in place. Such is the inconvenience that the owners face for as long as the duration for these towers to be in place has not elapsed. That is why landowners should think extensively.
SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT & HUMAN LIFE
We can mitigate such by sitting the towers at recommended distances far from residents. If developers of these towers follow the correct procedures, the safety of communities will be paramount. This should involve obtaining clearance and the assessment of the locations to be used. Thus, obtaining ‘no objection’ from the regulators of such towers does the world no safety good. In obtaining clearance, the locations of these towers are assessed before issuance of such no objections to proceed with the development of the towers. Though the skyline might not be spared by these towers, human life is likely to be towered away from the home they so much cherish. Doing the right thing might save the sky and us!
