Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 22: Normally they don’t come on roads to air their grievances but this time the people of border district of Leh have decided to adopt this mode of protest as repeated requests during the past two years regarding improvement in poor services of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have fallen on deaf ears of the concerned authorities in the Union Government. Feeling the nerves of the people and keeping in mind that paper work has not yielded the desired results till now, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council has decided that all the Councilors would lead the people during the protest demonstrations and shut-down in the entire district on September 12.
Ever since the devastating natural calamity ravaged the district, the LAHDC has been taking up the issue of poor BSNL services with the Union Telecommunication Ministry but till date no significant step was taken to ensure better communication facilities in this border district, sources in the Hill Council told EXCELSIOR.
On December 31, 2010, Chief Executive Councilor (CEC) Rigjin Spalbar, Minister for Tourism and Culture, Nawang Rigjin Jora, who is also MLA from the district, and P Nambyal, former Member Parliament, personally called on Minister for Telecommunication Kapil Sibal and brought to his notice the difficulties being faced by the people of Leh due to poor services of BSNL, sources said, adding a detailed official communiqué vide No. LAHDC/CEC/2010/4 was also submitted to the Union Minister for necessary action on his part.
However, the grievances of Leh people were not taken seriously and when no significant step was taken till ending 2011, the LAHDC, which is the body of elected representatives of the people, again called on Kapil Sibal and his deputy Sachin Pilot at Union Capital seeking early improvement in the BSNL services for better communication link between the border district and rest of the country. Again there was no seriousness on the part of Union Government and about one lakh subscribers of BSNL were forced to face poor services.
With the hope that Union Telecommunication Ministry would understand the gravity of the situation, the Hill Council vide communication No.LAHDC/CEC/2012/4/689-93 once again approached the Ministry during last month with the same plea. But till date nothing has been done to redress the grievances of the people, sources said, adding due to neglecting attitude of the Telecommunication Ministry and top brass of BSNL with whom also the issue was taken up a number of times there has been widespread resentment among the people.
The people, who normally don’t believe in coming on roads to air their grievances, have now left with no other option to seek better communication facilities. Following intense pressure from the public of their respective areas, almost all the Councilors approached the CEC and after detailed discussion on the issue it has been decided that Hill Council would spearhead the agitation against the Telecommunication Ministry and BSNL authorities.
“We have decided to hold protest demonstrations across the district and observe shut-down on September 12 following two day long General Council meeting of the Hill Council and all the 30 Councilors would lead the agitating people”, Chief Executive Councilor, Rigjin Spalbar told EXCELSIOR when contacted.
“This is an issue of around one lakh subscribers of landline and cellular services of BSNL. During the past some days, the situation has turned worse and people are finding it difficult to communicate with each other”, he said, adding “even the developmental works are suffering a lot because of poor communication link between the field functionaries and officers of different departments”.
“In other parts of the State, the Union Telecommunication Ministry has launched vide services over BSNL fixed telephone lines but in this border and tough terrain district even the existing services are not being upgraded”, he regretted, adding “the decision to take to roads has been taken as we are left unheard during the past two years”.
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