Port Blair, Nov 19 2020
Ayush Singh a 12th Standard Student from Shastri Nagar Village of Great Nicobar Island has written a letter to the Prime Minister of India, demanding better telecommunication service for his village.
Shastri Nagar Village is India’s Southernmost Village in Great Nicobar Island. Ayush in his letter has explained to the Prime Minister that due to COVID-19 lockdown, the students of his village were stuck at home since schools were shut down and without any communication facilities and Internet. He has mentioned that he is writing the letter on behalf of the entire student community of his village. He further mentions that his village is the Southernmost Village of India which lies on the road leading to Indira Point (Under Construction Presently).
He further explains that Internet is only available in Campbell Bay, which is 35 Kms from his village and after the schools started giving notes and study materials over the Internet, it became extremely difficult for them to download it. He mentions that they had to travel for 35 Kms to Campbell Bay and come back everyday just to download the study materials.
He further explains to the Prime Minister that, since the pandemic the income of their parents have gone down and affording the bus fare everyday was not possible for most of the students. Ayush then narrates his experience with the local authorities who he approached and explains that no action was taken on his demand for better telecommunication services and for introduction of Internet Services in his village.
He requests the Prime Minister to take up the matter with the authorities and suggests that landline connections be made available in their village so that they can access internet over broadband and also suggests that the BSNL BTS In their village be converted to 4G BTS.
There are several hurdles for BSNL to provide broadband connections at Shastri Nagar. The village is 35 Kms away from Campbell Bay and the population of the Village is not significant. The economic viability of establishing a fiber link between Campbell Bay and Shastri Nagar to provide Broadband connections is bleak. The area is remote and even if BSNL establishes fiber link to Shastri Nagar and is able to provide broadband services, the maintenance is unlikely to be, up to the mark.
Innovation and out of the box solutions are needed to connect these remote locations to Internet, may be Starlink which is in beta test presently in the USA and Canada, is the right kind of solution for these remote villages. Starlink has also shown interest in India and plans a global launch by 2021.