The mobile towers being installed in the remote pockets not served by conventional power supply would be powered using solar energy equipment in the insurgency infested Bastar division. A directive in this regard was issued by Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand in a high-level meeting of State and Central Government officials here.
The Chief Secretary also issued directives to commence the survey work for the installation of mobile towers in the identified regions within a week’s time. He asked officials to complete the installation of mobile towers in the identified regions by preparing a time-bound action plan.
Notably in February this year, BSNl set a target of installing 146 mobile towers during the first phase in insurgency-infested regions of Chhattisgarh. The towers would be installed for improving telephone connectivity of insurgency infested areas.
This was informed in the meeting of Unified Command chaired by Chief Minister Raman Singh at the Mantralaya in Naya Raipur recently. It was also informed in the meeting that during financial year 2014-15, around 80 towers will be erected by the month of March, out of which 40 will start operating soon after. By the month of June, 2015, 120 out of 146 mobile towers will be set up. The remaining 26 towers will be installed by the end of August this year.
In the second phase, BSNl has target of installing as many as 100 towers. Survey for 76 towers has already been completed. BSNl has been instructed to ensure availability spare batteries for mobile towers, so that the used up batteries may be replaced by new ones immediately, the meeting was informed.
Besides, BSNl has also been given instructions to keep batteries in reserve for towers located in insurgency-infested areas. BSNl has been ordered to provide proper training to local youths and police personnel for maintenance of these towers.
In the meeting, various issues including cure for insurgency problem, development works in affected districts and implementation of public welfare schemes were deliberated upon.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Raman Singh while attending the meeting convened by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi to review the developmental projects relating to roads, bridges, railway lines, mobile towers, post offices, banking infrastructure, education, health, radio and TV connectivity and forest and environmental clearances in left Wing Extremism affected States of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha and Maharashtra in New Delhi on February 9 had demanded that environment clearance should be increased from 5 hectare to 40 hectares for carrying out development projects in the lWE affected regions.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also directed senior Railways Officials to ensure commencement of construction work of Railway track from Rowghat to Jagdalpur and expedite the construction work for laying tracks from Dillirajhara to Rowghat.
It was also agreed upon in the meeting that the lWE affected States in general and Bastar region in particular required special assistance from the Centre and the Government may consider necessary relaxations in the policies and schemes for the development of these areas.
