Telkoi, June 18: The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Odisha is facing major challenges in remote areas due to poor mobile network connectivity. Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who have been entrusted with carrying out the revision work, are being forced to climb hills and travel deep into forests in search of a network signal to upload and process data.
Despite these difficulties, BLOs have been instructed to complete the SIR exercise within a fixed deadline, compelling them to continue their work under challenging and often unsafe conditions. Such a situation has come to light in Bimala Panchayat of Telkoi Block in Keonjhar district.
As mobile network services are unavailable in several parts of the panchayat, BLOs are travelling to a forested area near Karadakhaman village under Gadapalasuni Panchayat in Dhenkanal district to carry out online SIR-related work. The location is nearly five kilometres away from their working area, requiring them to leave early in the morning and return only in the evening.
The officers have been directed to complete the SIR process by June 28, leaving them with little choice but to work from remote forest locations where mobile connectivity is comparatively better. Carrying important documents and equipment, they are risking their safety every day by passing through forests known to be inhabited by wild animals, including elephants and tigers.
Even at these makeshift work locations, network connectivity remains inconsistent, causing frequent disruptions and delays in the revision process. BLOs say they are facing severe hardships in meeting the deadline due to the lack of reliable communication infrastructure.
According to local sources, nearly 55 villages in Telkoi Block do not have adequate mobile network coverage, creating significant obstacles for government field staff engaged in digital and online administrative work.
The situation has once again highlighted the urgent need for improved telecommunications infrastructure in remote and tribal-dominated regions to ensure the smooth implementation of government programmes and services.
