ROURKELA: Absence of mobile network in some places and inconsistent coverage at several other locations is hurting a sizeable rural population of tribal-dominated Sundargarh district. Incidentally, two most revenue generating mining blocks of Hemgir and Koida are the worst affected in the digital gap.
Sanghumra sarpanch of Hemgir block, Rebati Chhatria, said revenue villages Kiripsira, Khuntijharia and Sarbahal or the Lahandabud hamlet all suffer from lack of mobile network. Only a part of Sarbahal village gets inconsistent network from a nearby tower, said Chhatria.
Villagers said they are deprived of multiple beneficial services like digital banking, agriculture, weather or elephant presence alerts and many OTP-verified services. Absence of mobile network also bars them from getting emergency medical services, while the rural student community remains deprived of online education.
There is hope amid gloomy network scenario, according to official word. In the backdrop of the recent installation of 137 towers for 4G networks by the BSNL under the universal service obligation fund of the department of Telecommunications, plans are afoot for an additional 39 towers to cover left out pockets.
The new 4G towers would be set up under the 4G saturation project funded from the Digital Bharat Nidhi for the underserved villages in Sundargarh.
Union minister of state for Communications and Rural Development Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar had said this in a letter to Union Tribal Affairs minister and Sundargarh MP Jual Oram on July 31.
Timely allocation of land by the district administration for installation of the towers is a key factor. Oram said ensuring reliable telecom connectivity in remote and tribal areas is a priority, adding he will continue to pursue the matter for speedy project implementation.
Sundargarh zilla parishad chief development officer and executive officer Suranjan Sahu said 137 BSNL towers were installed over the last two years, adding demands were received from several other areas. They were discussed at the district development coordination and monitoring committee meeting and forwarded to the central government.
Sahu said he was not aware of the sanction for 39 new towers and on receiving official communication, tehsildars concerned would be asked to provide land for the towers.
Focus would be given to the underserved areas of Koida block’s Patmunda and Bhutura gram panchayats, and Budhabhui and Talbahali gram panchayats of Lahunipada block.