Rahul Singh & Roopa Lall
Port Blair, July 18: The Great Nicobar Island remained totally cut off from rest of A & N Islands and the world as the BSNL Service in the remote Island has totally collapsed.
It has been learnt that since 16th July no one from Port Blair is able to contact anyone in Great Nicobar Islands, which has triggered confusion, anxiety, anger and fear among friends and relatives of Great Nicobar residents, who are living outside Great Nicobar.
Sources said that till 16 July afternoon people were able to contact the remote Island, which is also the southern-most part of India.
Highly placed sources told Andaman Sheekha that till now since 16 July afternoon, the only contact with people of Great Nicobar was through Satellite Phone of Police Radio. Sources said that some officials of BSNL had contacted senior officers of BSNL in Port Blair over SAT phone.
Highly placed sources told Andaman Sheekha that there is a total black out of all BSNL Service in Great Nicobar and nearly four to five important equipments have developed complications. Hence some equipments were sent to Great Nicobar by Helicopter today but those equipments also failed to respond. Tomorrow the BSNL is sending a very experienced person from Port Blair and it is expected that the BSNL network in the Island will be restored by tomorrow evening of day after tomorrow.
Complication in telecom network is common thing but what is shocking in this case is, the delay in restoring communication with the remote Island, considering the fact that the Island was hit by Tsunami in 2004 and in case of any other emergency, under present condition, how difficult it would be to contact with the people of Great Nicobar.
