Port Blair, Apr 03: The Member of Parliament, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma has taken up the issues with the Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Minister for Communication, Electronic & IT on 03.04.2020 for the early opertionalisation of the CANI Undersea cable for the welfare of the people of the Islands in the present lockdown situation due to COVID-19.
In his letter MP has stated that the internet service in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is very poor both in terms of speed and reliability as the internet connectivity is via satellite link having a very limited band width. With India going Digital in every sector and considering the remoteness of these Islands from the mainland of India, the Government of India in order to provide a high speed internet service in these Islands, sanctioned the project of laying of submarine optic fiber cable connecting Chennai to Port Blair and to seven other Islands at a mammoth cost of Rs.1224 Crores. The project commenced with laying of submarine cable from Chennai to Port Blair which was inaugurated by your Honour on 09.01.2020 at Chennai aimed to be completed by June 2020. However, as per information available in the public domain, the project has been completed ahead of the schedule and trials have also been successful.
If such being the status of the ‘Chennai- Andaman and Nicobar Islands (CANI) Submarine Cable System project” , may I request your honour to consider issuance of directions to the BSNL authorities and Andaman & Nicobar Administration to immediately extend the benefits of the upgraded internet facilities to the Islanders in view of the following obvious reasons :
Due to lockdown imposed to prevent outbreak of COVID-1 pandemic in India and with 10 positive cases of COVID-19 traced in these Islands, an absolute necessity of more reliable and fast internet connectivity is felt in the Islands so that fast exchange of information can take place amongst the government machinery involved in prevention of spread of COVID-19 and also in the relief operations provided under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana -2020 ( COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE) intended to cause immediate relief to the poor and marginalized sections of society.
Lot many students from these Islands pursuing education in the institutions at mainland’s have come down to Port Blair considering the outbreak of COVID-19 in different States in India and our Islands not affected till 25.03.2020. These students are unable to attend their online classes due to very slow speed and high tariff of internet service in the Islands.
The BSNL is the major service provider in these Islands and providing internet connectivity via satellite link for which reason
the internet and broadband tariff is probably highest in these Islands when compared to other States of India. In our Islands people from various states including defense personnel are residing with their near and dear ones stating in different parts of India. Now with banking and many other services becoming digital, in this hour of distress when the movement of an individual is restricted due to lockdown, a better and fast internet service will be of much help to the Islanders.
Once the CANI submarine cable project is operationalized, the PAN India internet (broadband/mobile internet) would be applicable and we the Islanders will be charged on par with any other State of India.
