Shillong: Concerned over the use of
Bangladeshi mobile service in border areas, Union Minister
Gurudas Kamat on Saturday said stringent action would be taken
against those found using the services.
"It is a matter of concern. Security agencies are
monitoring the situation. Stringent action will be taken if
anyone is caught," Kamat, the Minister of State for
Communication and Information Technology, told reporters here.
"We are making efforts to ensure that towers are set up
to the borders. We are committed to provide proper
connectivity to the last point of the border," he said after
a meeting with BSNL officials of the Northeastern region here.
"As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, it
(BSNL) is ensuring that the services reach every common man,"
he said.
Most people use the services of Bangla Grameen Mobile
Company Ltd in border areas because of poor service by BSNL.
Some trading hubs on the Indo-Bangladesh border areas of
Meghalaya, Dawki, Shella, Mahendraganj and Baghmara, have been
brought under BSNL's network recently.
BSNL authorities had earlier admitted that the Bangladesh
telephone network had taken advantage of the situation and
anti-social elements were also using the network.
The state-run BSNL was the first to provide telecom
facilities to the absolutely poor in the most backward areas
of the country, the minister added.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, April 17, 2010, 19:50