Farmers Movement Archive

Wrong signal: 5G towers blamed for rise in Covid cases in Haryana

Mobile towers can transmit coronavirus! Well, that’s the latest misconception being spread across Haryana that has the already stretched administration gearing up to grapple with before it becomes a law and order problem. Alarmed by the swiftness with which the misinformation blaming mobile towers for the rising Covid-19 fatalities in the state is spreading, the Haryana government has directed deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to crack down on rumourmongers. Also read: India records 2.59 lakh new Covid-19 cases in 24 hrs, fatalities go above 4,000“Misinformation attributing the Covid-19 fatalities to the testing of 5G towers is doing the rounds. This has led to damage to mobile towers by misguided elements,” state chief secretary Vijai Vardhan said in his communication to the DCs and SSPs on Thursday. Misinformation campaign to vaccine hesitancy This is the latest misinformation campaign that the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP government is battling after facing vaccine hesitancy in Haryana’s hinterland. Villages dominated by a particular community, opposed to the BJP-led Centre’s farm laws, is asking people to violate the Covid lockdown. It is in this backdrop that the one-page order of the chief secretary becomes significant and reflects the gravity of multiple challenges the administration is facing in fighting Covid-19. Virus can’t travel on radio waves/mobile network Vardhan said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has clarified that such rumours are misplaced as viruses cannot travel on radio waves/mobile network. Other organisations have also debunked such claims, the order says and advises the DCs and SSPs to safeguard telecom infrastructure and related assets in their districts. “Take strict, coercive and immediate action against any miscreant spreading such misleading rumours,” the chief secretary said. The department of telecommunication, in its May 10 press statement, also clarified that linking the 5G network technology with Covid-19 has no scientific basis. Not just this, Vardhan said, the testing of 5G network has not yet started in India. “Hence, the apprehension that 5G trials/networks are causing coronavirus in India is baseless and devoid of any merit,” he added. Telecom providers express concernTR Dua, the director general of the Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association, said he had sought Vardhan’s intervention. “Four towers were damaged in Jind and Rohtak districts. Fifteen villages wanted towers shifted due to the misleading campaign.The operation and maintenance of telecom towers was becoming challenging,” Dua said.Residents of Masudpur, Rakhi Shahpur, Khanda Kheri, Koth Kalan and Majra villages of Hisar district also raised concern amid the rising Covid cases. They met Narnaund sub divisional magistrate Vikas Yadav in this connection.

Hindustan Times

21-05-2021

Chandigarh