Internet a step too far: In search of higher connectivity, tribal pupil falls from tree

Express News Service

KANNUR:  Climbing bushes is now part of their day by day routine. The college students in Panniyode tribal colony in Kannur district have been taking the journey into the forest since June to attend digital lessons. Every day, they journey deep into the forest and climb atop momentary tree homes arrange by their mother and father to get web connectivity. But issues turned bitter on Thursday as Ananthu Babu, 17, fell from the tree which he had climbed to examine Plus I allotment. The incident passed off round midday because the department he had grabbed broke, and he fell from a top of 10m onto the rocks under. 

The incident has delivered to mild the plight of scholars struggling to attend digital lessons in locations with poor connectivity. “We have been knocking on the doors of officials since June,” mentioned PR Usha, Ananthu’s mom.  “We are lucky that my son is still alive,” she mentioned.

“There are around 70 students in the colony, from Classes 1 to Plus II. We submitted a representation signed by the students to the district collector. The media too has highlighted the plight of the students here.”

Ananthu Babu, who fell from atree on Thursday, at a hospital in KannurThe household’s monetary situation is about to worsen as Suresh, Ananthu’s father, a day by day wage employee, will be unable to work for the subsequent two weeks. But they’ve acquired one factor in abundance – guarantees. The authorities involved, together with Local Self-Government Minister M V Govindan, have mentioned that every one points concerning internet connectivity can be resolved rapidly. “Internet connectivity will be made available to all students in the district with the support of BSNL,” the minister had mentioned on June 12.

Meanwhile, District Collector T V Subhash mentioned the work to make sure connectivity in tribal colonies is progressing. “There are 137 colonies where internet connectivity has to be made available. Of these, we have been able to set up connectivity in 66 colonies. Soon, the remaining colonies too will be covered,” he mentioned.  District Panchayat President P P Divya mentioned Rs 30 lakh has been put aside to arrange free wi-fi connection in such colonies, stressing that work is progressing.

At the identical time, Panniyode tribal colony residents mentioned no official has to this point visited the colony to take a look on the scenario. “Whenever we give a representation, the people concerned would tell us that everything would be alright soon. We are quite familiar with such false promises now,” mentioned Preetha Sajeevan. Collector Subhash mentioned the administration has taken the matter up with telecom firms however they haven’t been in a position to resolve the difficulty utterly. “We are trying all options so that such things are not repeated,” he mentioned. 

Besides Panniyode, which is within the Chittaripparamba panchayat, many areas underneath the panchayats of Chapparappadavu, Udayagiri, Pariyaram, Kolayad, Kottiyur, Kelakam and Ulickal are dealing with the issue. The Kannavam forest underneath Patyam panchayat and the Aralam farm rehabilitation zone too have connectivity points. The State Human Rights Commission has registered a case, directing the collector to file a report inside 15 days.

Education Minister V Sivankutty intervenes

In the wake of the incident in Kannur the place a teenage tribal boy suffered extreme accidents after he fell from a tree that he had climbed for higher cell web protection, General Education Minister V Sivankutty spoke to the boy’s mother and father and enquired about his situation. The minister additionally known as up the district collector and inquired concerning the standing of cell protection in distant areas. 

The Kannur district collector knowledgeable the minister that as many as 137 areas face community protection points. The collector knowledgeable the minister that community points in 71 areas have been rectified. 

P Ananthu Babu, who hails from Panniyode tribal colony, had reportedly climbed the tree for higher cell web protection to examine his Plus-I allotment standing on-line.   Sivankutty additionally enquired concerning the situation of the scholar from the superintendent of Pariyaram MCH. The superintendent knowledgeable the minister that greatest therapy was being offered to the scholar.