The State Capital- Kohima is facing severe mobile network coverage problem due to shortage of mobile towers. While network providers are ready to provide good internet connectivity to its customers, the hindrance allegedly caused by few local panchayat bodies has turned out to be the biggest obstacle in enabling the city to be on a par with other cities of the country in terms of network coverage.
Talking to Nagaland Post, a senior telecom official, who chose to remain anonymous, said even when they get clearance from the district administration to set up a tower under Kohima Municipal Council jurisdiction, local panchayat bodies allegedly refuse to issue no objection certificate (NOC) for the purpose, thus creating a dead-end for the service providers.
Citing radiation emitted by towers as the main reason, the local bodies refuse to issue NOCs, disclosed the official who heads one of the leading network providers in the town. He claimed that telecom department regular monitored radiation levels of each and every tower in the city to ensure that none of the towers functioned above the permissible limit set by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the highest governing body for network providers. “Hilly places like Kohima require more towers owing to the terrain. Because, even a small hillock, a big building or a forest area can obstruct the network path and therefore we have to construct more towers to compensate in such cases,” the official explained.
A normal mobile tower can cater to the need of around 2,000 users while a mini tower can provide good coverage to around 300 users. Therefore, if the number of users in a given area rose above that, good internet connectivity got compromised because of heavy traffic, he pointed out.
And at this rate, he cautioned that internet connectivity scenario appeared grim, as the only remedy to the problem was erection of more towers. And given the stiff resistance from the local bodies, the only option was to provide internet connection through satellite technology, which could take a few more years to reach here, he added.
Expressing surprise at the level of resistance his company had been receiving even after getting the required land and necessary clearances, the official said he had never faced such a situation while working elsewhere in the country.
Another official from another service providers disclosed to this correspondent that even though their head office had given them the green signal to erect 12 towers and 20 mini towers, in addition to the current existing towers, to meet the minimum requirement of its customers, the company failed to set up anymore towers because of the NOC issue.
Meanwhile, a customer said it was the average-income group people who were suffering because they depend on cheaper form of internet services. On the other hand, those well-to-do people who obstruct tower erection opted broadband for internet, which the general population could not afford, he lamented.
While good internet connectivity has become essential for everyone today, especially for students and the working class, lack of enough knowledge on the safe limits of radiation emission appears to have emerged as the biggest hindrance towards ensuring proper network coverage.