Guwahati: Nearly 80 percent of the 1.65
crore pre-paid mobile users in the North East face the
possibility of losing their connections as they are yet to
submit their documents for the re-verification process which
comes to an end tomorrow.
"We had almost completed the re-verification process
by the last date of December 31, when a fresh directive came
from the ministry about the acceptability of documents as
per the guidelines followed in Jammu and Kashmir," a
spokesperson of a leading service provider said.
A survey by the service provider here found that with
the last date tomorrow for re-verification, only a few mobile
users have submitted the required documents.
The documents required are driving licence, pan card,
arms licence, passbook of post offices or banks together with
photograph and address and passport.
Most of the permissible documents are difficult to
procure particularly for those residing in rural areas, while
voters have not been issued voters I-card in the region after
2008.
For students the mandatory documents will be a
certificate by government educational institutions which will
deprive thousands of students studying in the private sector
from having a mobile connection.
While it is a huge task to re-verify with the existing
manpower, it is another difficult job to explain to customers
about the fresh guidelines, the survey said.
Requesting the department of telecommunication to
allow six additional months time up to July to complete the
process, the survey said that most customers otherwise will
not be able to use their mobile connections in the absence of
the required documents.
"It is important that the list of documents be revised
to include local documents such as those issued by the gram
panchayats or its equivalent authority and caste and domicile
certificates issued by the state governments in the region or
the voters I card issued prior to 2008," it said.
The survey also points out to the need for allowing
roaming services between other parts of the country.
Although partial roaming has been allowed inside the
NE region, most tourists with prepaid connections find their
mobile connections disrupted.
"Roaming services should be allowed to all pre-paid
customers so that they stay connected and this will be
definitely provide a significant boost to tourism," the survey
said.
"Mass disconnection will lead to untold hardships for
the common man. Many students who live in hostels will not be
able to provide address proofs," feared student Sushil Kumar
Roy who hails from Silchar and resides at a hostel here.
"Most students are with private educational
institutions. How will they get a government certificate for
their identity and address?" he asked.
PTI
