Kalimpong police take Wi-Fi to students for online classes- Wi-Fi at Godak

The cops are now giving Internet access to some 38 youngsters from the region through its project Prayash that started on Wednesday

Police at the launch of the Internet facility at the Godak Primary School in Kalimpong near the India-Bhutan border: Telegraph picture

Vivek Chhetri   |   TT  |   Darjeeling   |   04.07.21: Kalimpong police have reached Wi-Fi to students of the remote hilly Todey-Tangta region near the Indo-Bhutan border, famed for cardamom crops.

Todey and Tangta are the two farthest villages from Kalimpong town, some 135km  from district headquarters. Hilly terrain ensures poor Internet connectivity, a bane for students amid the pandemic-induced new normal.

Kalimpong police are now giving Internet access to some 38 students from this region through its project Prayash that started on Wednesday.

The police got in touch with a local cable operator and set up five BSNL Wi-Fi connections at Godak Primary School, a 30-minute ride from Todey and an hour’s ride from Tangta.

“We came to know that students of Todey-Tangta area can’t attend online classes so we decided to stand by them,” said Hari Krishan Pai, the SP of Kalimpong. “Thirty-eight students enrolled in our project can attend the classes  regularly,” added Pai.

Many students from the region study in Kalimpong, Siliguri and Malbazar town in Jalpaiguri district. “Most students coming to Godak Primary School (for Internet access to attend online classes) study in these schools,” said Pai.

The police have arranged vehicles for free for students from Todey-Tangta to reach the primary school at 9am.

Adrina Lepcha, a Class X student of St Philomena Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Kalimpong, said before Prayash, she  had no option to attend classes.

“Internet connectivity is just too poor in our village,” said the girl from Todey.

Some students said they would trek 4km-5km  with smartphones to reach vantage points of connectivity, but those long walks were no guarantee that they would be rewarded by a strong signal.

Only BSNL provides mobile connectivity in the area. Internet connectivity improves late at night, which does not help students with day online classes.

The region does receive signals from telecom companies of Bhutan. “But Bhutan mobile services are very costly. Talktime per minute is around Rs 15,” said Adrina. “How can we afford Internet data charges (of Bhutan telecom companies)?”

The 5,000-odd villagers from the region derive sustenance from farming. Cardamon is a major cash crop.

(Courtesy and source- https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/police-take-wi-fi-to-hill-students-for-e-lessons/cid/1821103)