Villagers living in several areas along Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch districts are spending a life ‘disconnected’ from outer world due to unavailability of mobile towers which are prohibited in area of LoC due to security reasons.
Line of Control is a heavily guarded separation line between India and Pakistan with armies of both the nations are dominating on ridges and hills against each other and skirmishes between both the armies.
In almost all the LoC areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts, absence of mobile networks is the foremost reason affecting normal life of people. RomeshChoudhary, Sarpanch from DeeingKalalpanchayat of Nowshera sector said that his entire panchayat is located on LoC in Kalal and majority of the area is devoid of mobile telecommunication facility.
“From regular contacts with relatives in other areas as well as in informing authorities in case of any loss during ceasefire violation, people from my area face immense hardships.” SarpanchChoudhary said.
Kuldeep Kumar, another local man said that his house is located near High School Lower Kalal where there is no mobile connectivity.
“We used to go to another location at a distance of about 600 meters from our house where the mobile phone receives some signal and we manage to make calls.” he added.
Subash Sharma, a resident from Doongi Keri area near LoC said that they fail to contact relatives in other areas and many times come to know about deaths of relatives after several hours and sometimes even after cremation and last rites.
“BSNL tower is installed in our area but it remains snagged most of the time and people are left in a state of helplessness.” Sharma said adding that earlier there was BSNL landline facility in their area which has been bundled now.
Sunil Kumar, a resident of Jhanger in Nowshera said, ” The population in Jhanger, Kalsiyan and Saryah is over four thousand and the entire area is devoid of mobile communication except few hill tops where no one resides.
“You just think of a life without mobile connectivity in the era of Digital India.” he added.
Official sources told Greater Kashmir that security concerns of the army are the main reason for which mobile towers are not installed in the LoC area.
“In past years, many proposals were mooted on the demand of the local population but except a few cases, the army denied to give a green signal for all rest proposals.” the sources said.