Even as online classes have been inevitable for students in view of the Covid 19 pandemic, the mobile network is still a distant dream in many parts of rural areas in the State much to the agony of learners.
In many parts, students are now facing difficulties in attending online classes, being imparted by their respective institutions, due to poor network.
Such a scenario was found at Kandhakhilum village under Rayagada block where school and college students are scaling a mountain for online classes.
According to reports, over 30 students, who are enrolled in various schools and colleges at Rayagada walk about 5 km everyday to Pitamahal area to attend online classes due to unavailability of mobile network at Kandhakhilum village.
The students also face fluctuation issue even after going up the hills by crossing the muddy paths.
The villagers alleged the district administration and the BSNL authorities of not paying heed to their repeated demands for setting up a mobile phone tower in the village.
The similar issue is also being faced by many students in 25 villages of eight gram panchayats under Rayagada block in the tribal dominated-district.
Source said as many as 271 villages of the district have no mobile phone towers. This puts a question mark on ‘Digital India’ programme launched by the Centre.
