The Hindu : Front Page : Telephone service for tribals

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Saturday, Nov 22, 2008
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Telephone service for tribals

M. Balaganessin

TIRUCHI: Tribals of Patchamalai, a remote a hilly terrain in the district hitherto inaccessible for communication network, will get telecommunication services by the end of this fiscal.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Tiruchi SSA, will set up a tower at Top Sengattupati village atop the hills, to provide both Wireless Local Loop (WLL) and mobile phone services to the residents of Patchamalai.

While WLL would have a capacity of 750 working lines, the mobile tower would be able to provide network for 1,000 subscribers, Principal General Manager, Telecom, A. Balraj, said.

Although the WLL facility had already been provided in the area, it was not up to the technical standard, resulting in snags, he said. Work on the Rs.20-lakh tower would be taken up shortly. It would facilitate a fool-proof communication facility for the tribals. WLL subscribers would have a special concession in the form of a monthly rent of Rs. 50 with 75 free calls.

All the 14 panchayat union offices in the district would be covered under a wireless network communication system linked to District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).

The facility would help union officials contact the DRDA in case of any emergency.

The BSNL tower at its exchange premises at Manapparai would be utilised for providing the link. The DRDA would set up a repeater at the tower, for which the BSNL had sanctioned its permission.

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