Mobile phones are keeping the people connected all over the world but alienating nature from humans, a study has found.

This study, conducted by three department of the Panjab University, has found that cellphone towers are a dominating source of electromagnetic radiation. This radiation is harmful to plants and animals.

The study was conducted by the Centre for Environment and Vocational Studies, Department of Botany and Department of Zoology from December, 2005 to September, 2006. Dr V P Sharma, Dr R K Kohli, Dr H P Singh, Dr D R Batish and Dr Upma Bagai were its spearheads.

It is found there are 199 mobile towers in the city’s 52 sectors and industrial areas. Of these, 74 per cent are present in southern sectors and the remaining in the north.

The radiation was measured from a distance of 100, 200 and 300 metres with the help of RF Field Strength Meter. It was also measured at various heights — ground, 4 feet, 5 feet and above. Dr Kohli said radiation generates heat which kills micro-organisms in the soil near it. This, in turn, harms those organisms that feed on them, thereby disturbing the ecological cycle.

The towers continuously transmit radiation even when nobody is using a cellphone. In the city, the maximum radiation content was found in Sector 46. It was 97,926 micro watt/square metre. The minimum of 564 micro watt/square metre was in Sector 1.

Also, radiation was found to be maximum at 5 feet and above and minimum at the ground level. Professor Kohli said a Gujarat-based NGO has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, stating the maximum permissible limit should be less than 10 micro watt/square metre.

The present study draws references from several others conducted in different countries. They have found that continuous exposure to radiation can lead to sleep disorders, abnormal blood pressures, weakness, fatigue, joint pains, digestive problems, memory loss and leukaemia among children.

Kohli said another study is being conducted to see how the development of chicks and various plants is affected due to radiation. It has been found that blood circulation in chicks takes a hit though this is yet to be quantified.

Courtesy : Expressindia.com

Vodafone Group Plc has reached an amicable deal with the Essar group that will give it management control of Hutchison Essar, India's fourth largest mobile carrier, a newspaper report said on Tuesday.

Vodafone, which has agreed to pay $11.1 billion for Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecom's controlling stake in the telecom, will nominate Essar group vice chairman Ravi Ruia as non-executive chairman, quoting sources closes to the deal.

Vodafone has also agreed to a four-year put option for the Essar group, based on an enterprise value of $18.8 billion with Essar retaining the right to sell in the open market some or all of its 33 per cent stake in the telecom.

According to the agreement, the new board would have nine directors, including three Essar representatives. Arun Sarin, chief executive of Vodafone, would be vice-chairman.

Sarin and Ruia are in New Delhi to "tie up loose ends," the paper said.

Asim Ghosh, who the chief executive of Hutchison-Essar in India, would be managing director and chief executive of the new firm, the paper said.

Vodafone and Essar were near an agreement, and that senior Vodafone and Essar executives have held meetings with government officials.

The two sides were expected to "shake hands shortly," and the terms of the agreement, including a four-year put option, had been finalised and that an announcement was likely in a couple of days.

"All three parties involved appear keen to resolve the issue and avoid legal complications and investigations," it said.

Earlier this month, Hutchison Telecommunications asked Indian courts to keep it informed of any legal suit filed by the Ruias, a move described by a spokeswoman as a routine procedure to protect the company's interests.

Courtesy : Expressindia.com

While the final placement for this year’s Post Graduate Programme (PGP) batch at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) was marked by a significant increase in domestic and international salaries with the highest international salaries crossing Rs 1-crore mark, there was a noticeable increase in the number of students opting for offers to start their own ventures. Also, the placement was marked by a significant number of students rejecting offers from international companies in preference for domestic ones.

A total 235 students of IIM-A participated at the final placements held between March 8 and March 12. According to figures released by the institute, the highest international salary moved beyond Rs 1-crore mark, at Rs 1.12 crore ($225,000) to Rs 1.50 crore ($300,000). Highest domestic salaries remain in the range of Rs 60 lakh to Rs 1 crore, depending on bonuses. Figure for minimum salary was, however, not much encouraging, with the domestic minimum standing at Rs 8 lakh and international minimum around Rs 15 lakh ( $31800).

The salaries offered to the students by both, international and domestic recruiting firms, have registered an increase over the last years. From 2006, the average domestic salary increased by 40 per cent to Rs 13.6 lakh per annum as against last year’s average of Rs 9.72 lakh. Similarly, the international average stood at Rs 57 lakh, a rise of around 25 per cent.

“Shadow of recession in global market has created all kind of uncertainty, so we were apprehensive about international salary. However, it did not affect us and there was significant increase in international salary packages over last year,’’ said Bakul Dholakia, IIM-A Director.

The institute considered it an achievement to have 11 students from 2007 batch to have opted out of placements or rejected job offers to start their own enterprises. “We have encouraged students to take up path of entrepreneurship. We have even come up with the incentive for entrepreneurs to participate in placements one or two years down the line if they wish so,’’ Dholakia said.

Many students this year went ahead to reject international offers to opt for Indian locations. While a total 63 students accepted international placements, there were 11 who received international offers but preferred to stay back. Jatin Mamtani, who was offered a job in a financial firm in New York preferred a job in a consulting firm in Mumbai. “I prefer consulting to finance. With India doing economically better, we will get lots of opportunity to grow here,’’ he said. While from a total of 86 firms coming to the campus for placement, investment banks and consulting firms such as Bain, BCG, Deutsche Bank, Lehmann Brothers, McKinsey, Merrill Lynch visited the campus for yet another year, there were also some new visitors like Blackstone Real Estate, Fischer Jordan, ING, Opera Solutions and Value Partners.


Courtesy : Expressindia.com