Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Mar 19: Forum of residents aggrieved by the mobile jammer installed in the district prison here held an emergency meeting at Deepa Comforts hotel on Friday March 18. The residents of the area and others who run businesses and offices have been adversely affected by the said jammer, which they say, has been jamming their cellphone networks since over a month.
Heads of residential complexes, people heading different institutions, organizations, business concerns etc took part in the meeting and expressed concern about the above phenomenon. Later, a delegation met the deputy commissioner(DC) of the district and submitted memorandum seeking a solution to this issue. They pointed out that newspaper offices, commercial centres, insurance company office, hotels, schools, colleges, hostels, apartments complexes, banks etc located around the prison have been facing innumerable problems because of this jammer. They said that in addition to the adverse affect on the functioning of phone lines, even doctors and patients in the area are facing problems in getting even emergency services, ambulances etc. BPOs in particular, who heavily depend on mobile network, are facing a critical situation, they reminded the concerned.
They rued the fact that successive reports, memorandums etc on this issue have failed to evoke any response, and that the jail authorities are merely pointing out to the company which installed this jammer. At the same time, they claimed that while the customer care departments of mobile phone providers have been insisting that the problem is created because of the jammer, mobile network is available within the prison compound. They said that they are not against this jammer, but wanted its coverage to be restricted to within the jail premises.
Reacting to the petition, the DC promised to take action over this issue on Monday. He contacted the company based in Hyderabad which had installed the jammer, and instructed their representatives to consult the aggrieved representatives, cellphone companies and the department concerned immediately, and settle this issue without delay.