Goemkapronn desk
SANGUEM: In spite of several assurances over the years regarding Wifi and mobile phone connectivity, villagers of Netravali in Sanguem are extremely upset over the near non-existent mobile and internet connectivity in the village.
According to social worker Mithil Ulhas Dessai, several villagers complained to him about the promised Wifi services which have not as yet materialized. According to Mithil, during a recent event for distribution of fertilizers, which was attended by almost 70 to 80 farmers from the area, the school-going children are suffering greatly as they have to walk long distances to avail of internet facility. Even mobile networks is not available in certain areas, which forces residents to walk nearly two km to the main road to make phone calls.
Not just for students, internet banking and digital payments which require consistent mobile connectivity are inoperable in the area. Villagers cannot use digital payments or online banking services as the mobile data network is non-existent in the area.
Assurances and promises made by the concerned authorities to improve mobile services at the Netravali Telephone Exchange have failed to bear fruit even as villagers continue to suffer tremendously.
Power failures make the situation worse as even 2G or 3G calling services which work on the older keypad phones and are used by more than 50 per cent of the villagers go on the blink as the generators installed at the Netravali Telephone Exchange fail to switch on resulting in almost zero back up facility at the Exchange.
