Leh: The Chief Executive Councillor LAHDC Leh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal convened a meeting with Chief General Manager BSNL J&K Circle Leh A. K Singh Rana in his office chamber Saturday. Deputy Chairman, LAHDC, Leh Gyal P Wangyal, Executive Councilor for Health Tsering Sandup, Executive Councilor for Agriculture Phunchok Stanzin, Executive Councilor for Minority Affairs Mumtaz Hussain, Ravinder Kumar GM (CFA) CGMT Jammu and Punchok Dorjey General Manager, BSNL Leh were also present in the meeting.
CEC, JTN welcoming Chief General Manager and his team to Leh gave a brief introduction about Hill Council Leh and functioning. Talking about the importance of reliable communication facilities in Saturday’s digital era, JTN said due to poor internet facilities Hill Council Leh is unable to run the number of smart classes in the government schools of the district, despite having all the equipments. He said due to poor communication facilities important procedures like e-tendering, geo-tagging of asserts and CSS like recently launched Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Schemes are badly affected.
JTN urged CGM to find a quick solution for all the far-flung and isolated villages of Leh which are deprived of telecommunication facilities including border areas of Changthang, Singay Lalok, Skyu-Markha, Turtuk and Digger Tangyar areas so that these regions could be brought under telecommunication map at the earliest and assured that Hill Council will extend every possible support in this regard. CEC JTN highlighted major telecommunication related problems of the district including frequent breakdown of main OFC media, poor or no internet/data service in BSNL towers, requirement of DSPTs/Mobile towers for uncovered villages and hamlets, non–availability of broadband service in the rural areas, acute shortage of staff in BSNL Ladakh and earliest approval of Rs 350 crore project already submitted at DOT for USO funding and 28 Mobile Towers in Ladakh under Ministry of Home Affairs at Indo-China borders.
Dy. Chairmen LAHDC, Leh Gyal P. Wangyal requested for restoration of landline facilities in Kharu Sub –Divn. Executive Councilor for Health Tsering Sandup highlighted the communication problems of Nubra region including acute shortage of staff in BSNL Nubra, strengthening of main BSNL tower at Diskit, additional full-fledged towers at Huder, Sumoor and Diskit.
Likewise, Executive Councilor for Agriculture Phunchok Stanzin also demanded USO funding for installation of mobile towers for left out villages and relocation of few towers in Shamm region. Similarly, Executive Councilor for Minority Affairs Mumtaz Hussain demanded the restoration of landline facilities in Chushot which was damaged in 2010 flash flood. He also complained about the poor mobile signal at PHC and Higher Secondary Schools in the Chushot belt.
Giving a patient hearing to all the issues and demands, Chief General Manager BSNL J&K Circle Leh A. K Singh Rana assured that his team will conduct a case by case study of all the demands and assured to address all the proble He asked Council to provide the lists of schools equipped with smart class equipments and assured to provide internet facilities to such schools on priority.
Punchok Dorjey General Manager, BSNL Leh apprised the meeting about upcoming projects and schemes of BSNL for Ladakh including the revival of Community Service Centres, providing of V. Sets facilities for all the Gram Panchayats of Leh district and launching of wireless broadband facilities in the district.
