New Delhi, Jan 21: The Supreme Court today agreed to hear the plea of telecom companies challenging Rajasthan High Court's order directing removal of all mobile phone towers which are suspected to have potential health hazards due to radiation.
A bench of justices H L Dattu and Ranjan Gogoi issued notice to Rajasthan government and the petitioner on whose plea the High Court had passed the order.
The court passed the order on a bunch of petitions filed by different telecom operators including Cellular Operators Association of India seeking quashing of High Court order.
The HC on November 27, 2012 had directed telecom providers operating in the state to remove all such towers within 2 months.
The apex court also gave extension of three weeks to the operators for implementation of High Court order which is to expire on January 27.
Holding mobile towers as a health hazard, the High Court had directed telecom service providers operating in the state to remove within two months their towers falling in the vicinity of schools, hospitals and play grounds.
It had also asked them to relocate the towers from a periphery of 500 meters from prisons, and those falling in 100 meter distance of ancient and archaeological heritage monuments.
