RANCHI: Imagine the pain of the family members whose loved one is playing in the world’s most prestigious tournament -- Olympics, but they are not able to watch him or her in action.
The same is the case with the family members of Indian women's hockey player Salima Tete, who made Jharkhand proud by representing India in Tokyo Olympics, as her parents, siblings and villagers are not able to see her in acion even virtually due to lack of mobile connectivity and TV set in the village.
Salima hails from Badkichapar village in Simdega, one of the worst Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts in Jharkhand, with 45 households in it but none of them have a TV set.
According to Salima's younger sister Mahima Tete, who is also a national level hockey player, everyone in the village want to see Salima playing matches in Olympics, but due to poor internet connectivity they are not even able to watch it on the their mobile phones.
"The village, having more than 45 families, does not have a single TV set. Due to poor internet connectivity, they are also not able to watch the matches on their mobile sets," said Mahima. It is really unfortunate for the family and the entire village that they are not able to watch the Salima Tete in action, she added.
Mahima said that, they try to search for internet connectivity by moving here and there impatiently inside and even outside the village during matches but all in vain. She wished that some arrangement could be done by the district administration so that she and her parents, along with the other villagers, could watch her sister playing the matches.
"As we have already missed two matches, I appeal to the district administration that a LCD van may be arranged for the village so that we can see Salima playing her matches in Tokyo on Wednesday," said Mahima Tete.
Though, they have an old TV set at home, the only one in the village, it is out of order for the last several years due to frequent lightning strikes taking place in the region, she added.
Salima’s mother Sopani Tete expressed her anguish saying that what could be more painful for a mother that her daughter is playing for the country in Olympics and she could not watch the match.
Christopher, a youth hailing from the same village also appealed that some arrangement must be done by the district administration in this regard. "Since, Salima is a pride of this village, some arrangement must be done by the district adminiatration so that we can also cheer Salima up during matches," said Christopher.
The Deputy Commissioner, however, said that he will do the needful in this regard. “Salima is a pride of her village and the district itself and hence efforts are being made to bring all basic facilities to the village. Since the matter has been put to our notice today itself, we will make some arrangement so that they
could also cheer Salima while she plays for India,” said Simdega DC Sushant Gaurav. There are various shadow areas in Simdege where there is a problem of mobile and internet connectivity, which is being sorted out, he added.