In the digital age, mobile phones have become an indispensable part of human life. Everything from education, health, banking, government services to communication with family is now dependent on mobile networks. While 5G services are expanding in the country, mobile network is still not available in more than 30 remote tribal villages of Patrapur block on the Andhra border in Ganjam district. As a result, the only hope for the villagers to get network is the mountain peaks.
Many tribal villages in the remote hilly areas of Patrapur block have not yet installed mobile towers. As a result, villagers have to climb mountains or higher places for even simple tasks like calling an ambulance for seriously ill patients, talking to their families or conveying urgent information. In some places, people have even climbed trees or tied their mobile phones to bamboo poles to get network.
While some villagers in Talbad, Sachar and Arjuba areas of the block rely on mobile towers from Andhra Pradesh, many villages in Ankuli, Tumba and Buratal panchayats are getting limited network service from Ramgiri area of Gajapati district. This service also gets completely disrupted during rainy days. As a result, everyone from children to the elderly are rushing to places where there is network in the morning.
More than 30 tribal villages including Ankuli, Raikhal, Beheraputu, Elgal, Khalasahi, Kuruguda, Mahalimb, Dhobalingi, Badua, Tabudiya, Layusahi, Burasahi, etc. have not received mobile service. This problem is affecting students the most. They are deprived of online tuition, scholarship applications, filling exam forms and various digital services. Similarly, people are facing problems in emergency treatment, online services of government schemes and banking.
The dream of Digital India will come true when uninterrupted mobile services reach even the remotest tribal villages at the foot of the hills. Therefore, the local residents have strongly demanded that new mobile towers be installed immediately in this remote area of Patrapur block to ensure network services.
