Goa: Almost non-existent internet connectivity in Nirankal, Panchwadi bothers students, businessmen

SHIRODA: Students and businessmen alike in several villages in the Ponda and Dharbandora taluka are bothered by the extremely poor mobile network and internet connectivity in their area, a pressing problem that was highlighted by the Shiroda People’s Forum during the 2022 assembly polls.

Parts of Shiroda, Nirankal, Bethoda, Panchwadi and even localities in Borim are greatly affected, with students having to trek up to open spots on higher ground where there is weak mobile network available.

According to social worker Mithil Ulhas Dessai, “this problem has been going on since the last 5-6 years. During the time of 2G and 3G mobile services till 2015, while the rest of Goa enjoyed basic internet services on their phones, these areas had no internet at all. Residents of Nirankal had to come out on the main road to even make a normal phone call on their keypad phones. Many times the BSNL network – the only service provider in the area – was down and people had to depend on landline phones for communication.”

In the 4G and 5G era too, the same problem persists. While most parts of Goa are enjoying 5G services, residents in Nirankal, Codar also spelt as Kodar, Conxem,  Panchwadi and parts of Dabal village of Dharbandora taluka, have no access to fast internet (4G or 5G) on their mobile phones. Many times, there is no connectivity at all, while during the few minutes when the network works, the speed is so slow that even a normal text email takes at least 10 minutes to go through, Mithil said.

Students and businessmen in neighbouring villages of Marcaim, Priol, Querim, Verem-Vagurme and Borim are also affected due to lack of internet connectivity and these problems have been going on for years, social forum Goenkarancho Awaz said in a statement.

According to Goenkarancho Awaz, localities with the worst connectivity in the taluka are in the Shiroda assembly constituency – Paz, Nirankal, Torla, Panchwadi; the Marcaim assembly constituency – Parampai, Karnzale, Ladewado and Malwado, and the Priol assembly constituency – Kunkolim, Magilwada-Priol, Kokanwado-Karmale,  Nallem-Keri, Velkashi and Verem-Wagurme – this has been highlighted time and again over the last 4-5 years, but no solution was upcoming.

“People just accept their fate. In other parts of India, people come out on the roads and protest, but here in the villages of Goa not a sound of protest is heard,” said Mithil Dessai.

Due to the non-existent connectivity, many villagers do not invest in smartphones and are using only keypad phones. Villagers working in Ponda city or Margao or other parts of Goa, which have better connectivity and broadband facility can use the smartphones only in their offices, but the phones are useless when they get back to their homes.

Promises over the years, by various officials and MLAs to better the situation have remained unfulfilled and even basic Wifi services which were committed by the government in these villages are still non-existent, while India continues to talk about the digital age and Digital India, Goenkarancho Awaz said.