Survey being conducted for strengthening wireless network
Possibility being explored for Ham Radio mediums
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 7: Keeping in view the strategic importance of the cold desert region, all the units of the Ladakh Police in Leh and Kargil districts have been connected with POLNET for better communication while as survey is being conducted for strengthening of wireless network. Moreover, possibility is being explored for Ham Radio mediums as options of communication during any emergency situation.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Ladakh Police was facing acute communication challenges owing to the mountainous terrain, which prevents the line of sight, and accordingly the issue was discussed in numerous meetings chaired by Advisor Umang Narula, who is also Administrative Secretary of the Home Department of the Union Territory.
Few months back it was decided that POLNET, which is a satellite based wide area network for the modernization of Police Telecommunication, would be used for better communication among the police units of the Ladakh Police.
“Now, the work on the project has been completed after hectic efforts and almost all the units have the facility of POLNET for communication with each other”, sources informed, adding “POLNET is an amalgamation of different latest VSAT technologies and has overcome the communication constraints of Ladakh Police up to large extent”.
They further informed that even efforts are being made to strengthen and upgrade the existing wireless network of Ladakh Police and that would be an added advantage for all the units in both the districts of the cold desert region.
“Even the shadow villages which don’t have communication facility at all will be integrated with the wireless network as better communication links with the civilians particularly in the villages situated along the Line of Control with Pakistan and Line of Actual Control with China would be of immense help for security forces in maintaining vigil”, sources said.
They further said, “the Ladakh Union Territory administration is also exploring various means of communication suitable for serving the remote areas in case of emergency situations”, adding “even Police Department is exploring the options of community and Ham Radio mediums for use during any emergency”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Ham radio operator can talk to other operators with transmit power of about 10 Watts or less. It helps in communication when other systems (cellular and internet etc) are down due to some failure or disaster. Moreover, it provides long hours of communication during emergency situations and easy to setup.
When contacted, Additional Director General of Ladakh Police S S Khandare confirmed that all the units of police have been connected with POLNET and this step has resolved the communication related problem of police up to large extent. “Several other measures are in the pipeline and hopefully in the shortest possible time-frame the communication network will get further strengthened”, he added.
“Better communication is imperative particularly in the remote and far-off areas so as to enhance the vigil particularly in the border areas”, he said in response to a question.
Meanwhile, an exhaustive proposal submitted by the Ladakh Union Territory administration to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for creation of new Police Sub-Divisions, Police Stations and Police Posts and up-gradation of existing ones to effectively tackle the new challenges emerged during the recent years is presently under consideration in the Bureau of Public Research and Development (BPRD), sources informed.
“After detailed examination the BPRD will forward the proposal to the MHA with necessary changes if required and thereafter the formal sanction will be granted”, they said, adding “not only these new police units even required manpower is also required to be sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs so that Ladakh Police smoothly functions on the lines of police force of any other Union Territory in the country”, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that a number of Police Posts were established in Leh and Kargil districts in the past without formal sanction and these are also required to be regularized. Moreover, there are a number of Police Posts which were created in 1960s/1970s and there is a need to upgrade them keeping in view recently emerged challenges.
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