Deceived Villagers and Health Problems Caused by Mobile Phone Masts

Shorena Sarishvili, Batumi

The inhabitants of the village of Kokati, Lanchkhuti District who do not have roads, transportation, electricity nor water in the village, started suffering from health problems in recent times. The inhabitants of the village claim that the reason for their health problems is the mobile phone masts that are in their village.

The two big mobile phone operators Geocell and Magti erected the signal transmitting masts in the village of Kokati, in Lanchkhuti District, several years ago, even though the locals protested against it and used various forms of protest: they blocked the holes for the masts, applied to many state bodies, but all in vain.

In the end, the mobile phone operators and the locals reached an agreement that the villagers would allow them to erect masts if the companies would help them to solve the local problems. However, the companies did not keep their promise. The number of various diseases, such as high blood pressure, head-aches, cardiovascular diseases, high prothrombin in the blood has increased after the erection of masts. Doctors think that these diseases are cause by the mobile phone masts. However, the representatives of Magti, one of two mobile phone operators do not agree. They say the electro-magnetic radiation from the masts does not exceed the norm.

Gonel Papava, a physicist thinks that the masts are dangerous for human life if they are erected close to settlements.

Liana Chkhaidze, an inhabitant of the village: “The health conditions of the locals have deteriorated dramatically. Cattle and fowl die every day. I used to have a mandarin orchard close to these masts. The fruit has changed shape. They might insist on it, but I do not believe that the masts are not dangerous to the health. The number of diseases and the death rate increases day by day. These masts have not brought anything good. They (mobile phone operators) promised to cover treatment expenses in case we would have some health problems and to rehabilitate the village but they haven’t helped us with anything. Is that fair?”

The villagers do not know whom to ask for help. They also do not have faith that someone will help them.