SHILLONG: BSNL, on Thursday agreed to review internet and mobile services in remote villages of the state with the Meghalaya State Planning Board, in a meeting held at the GM BSNL office in Barik.
The meeting was initiated and held between John F Kharshiing, Co-Chairman, Meghalaya State Planning Board (MSPB) and Chairman, Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya, with M J Chrisostom, Senior General Manager BSNL Meghalaya Telecom District, Shillong with the objective to review the BSNL services in remote villages in the rural areas of West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi, Jaintia Hills, Garo Hills District and other areas especially along the border of Assam and Bangladesh.
This is a follow up to the first phase of official inspections and visits to the various C&RD blocks by State Planning Board in Mawshynrut, Nongstoin, Mawthadraishan, Mairang (West Khasi Hills ) Laskien, Khliehriat, (Jaintia Hills), Mawryngkneng (East Khasi Hills) and others, listed by Kharshiing in a letter, where the Block Development Officers had expressed concern over poor network connectivity in a number of remote villages under their jurisdiction.
The guidelines of MGNREGS require these officials to upload a number of paper works online. However, due to poor connectivity in these areas they are unable to do so. For instance Mawshynrut C&RD Block with over 320 villages, till date has no internet connectivity and practically no mobile connection.
The General Manager, BSNL, Meghalaya, informed the co-chairman, MSPB, that they were facing a number of challenges primarily due to construction of the National Highway (NHAI). Allegedly during widening of the roads, there were reports of damage to fiber optic cables, which occurred both along the Shillong- Guwahati and Shillong – Nongstoin roads. The BSNL officials therefore, requested the State Planning Board to take up the issue with MeECL, for use of their power lines until the highway is completed. The BSNL has also asked for the Board’s help in a matter concerning PWD’s overcharging for work involving laying cables.
In connection to low signal of BSNL in certain areas of the City, the BSNL official informed the co-chairman, MSPB, that they were strictly adhering to the permissible range as permitted by Central Government relating to radiating the signal strength.
In this regard, the BSNL official informed that the dialogue initiative during 2012, taken up by BSNL and Meghalaya Government so that India and Bangladesh can share bandwidth from the International Border via Agartala, has progressed well and that they hoped this would open up tremendous opportunities for the North East in terms of IT connectivity.
The BSNL further urged the MSPB to assist in resolving a number of issues at the grass-root level relating to installation of towers, requirement and connection of power lines to the towers, among others.
