Mobile tower installed in Chhattisgarh village where Naxals killed 8 security men in Jan
A mobile tower has been installed at a remote village in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, where Naxals blew up a vehicle using an IED, killing eight security men and their civilian driver in January, the police said, allowing residents to access Internet and other telecom services.
A police official posted in the Bastar region said on Wednesday that the new mobile tower at Ambeli village started functioning on June 16. Residents of Ambeli and nearby villages — Uskapatnam, Karkeli and Tungeli — will now have access to faster mobile connectivity and Internet services, he said.
The facility of mobile tower has been provided under the ‘Niyad Nellanar’ (your good village) initiative of the state government, aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages, and the Centre-sponsored Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) scheme, the official informed.
“Now, it has become possible for villagers to get benefits of mobile network. Besides, students studying in rural areas and the youth preparing for competitive exams will get the benefit of strong network and Internet facility," he said.
Keeping in view the growing need of mobile and Internet services in day-to-day life, cellphone towers are being installed to strengthen telecom communication system in the Bastar region, where security forces are engaged in all-out operations against Maoists, the official maintained.
“It is a crucial important step, which will provide better communication facilities to people and they will be able to connect with others in rest of the country and abroad. Besides, it will play an important role in development of the area," the official added.
Meanwhile, IEDs planted by Naxalites are being cleared and the police and the administration are working to ensure basic amenities like schools, hospitals, water, roads, anganwadis (child care centres) and mobile towers are available in the region, he said.
On January 6, Naxals blew up a vehicle using an IED weighing 60 to 70 kg, killing eight security personnel and their civilian driver near Ambeli village under the Kutru police station area of Bijapur.
India