The weak communication network in the remote pockets of Sandeshkhali, one of the blocks in the Sunderbans region, has prompted the district administration to seek the help of Amateur radio, often called HAM radio, to facilitate the poll process.
"There are around five sector offices under the Sandeshkhali block and each sector office is situated at a distance of 14 to 15 kilometers from the BDO office. The polling booths are located in remote pockets where networks of mobile phones cannot reach. Even fixed landlines are not available in the vicinity. So, in these circum stances, radios become an effective means of communication," said Ambarish Nag Biswas, HAM radio operator.
A team of eight radio operators has already reached there and set up temporary radio stations to transmit messages from the sector office to the office of BDO. The operators use Morse code to relay messages.
"We had to seek prior approval from the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) wing of the ministry of Communications to shift base," said Nag Biswas.
The HAM operators had also been involved in the previous panchayat elections of 2003 when they were called in by the district administration of South 24-Parganas.
Source:The Indian Express,14-05-08
