RANCHI: Jharkhand police have written to the Union home ministry asking for dozens of satellite phones to help conduct the Lok Sabha election in Maoist-hit districts.
Earlier, Maoists had targeted mobile towers during elections disrupting communication network. Jharkhand police spokesperson Anurag Gupta said he would not disclose the number of phones due to security reasons.
Satellite phones will be used in places with poor communication network or at places where Maoists disturb the communication channels.
State's chief electoral officer P K Jajoria said satellite phones would be used by state police and also by paramilitary forces deployed in Red zones. There are some parts of Jharkhand, like the core zones of Palamu Tiger Reserve and Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary which do not have mobile phone network coverage. Satellite phones will be necessary in such areas.
The phones will be extensively used in the first phase of polls on April 10 when election will be held in Chatra, Palamu, Lohardaga and Koderma all Maoist-hit. In other phases too the phones will be extensively used. The intelligence inputs available with police suggest the Maoists may try to disrupt polls.
The chief electoral officer has also requested BSNL to improve existing telephone network. The satellite phones would have BSNL connections. "We have also requested BSNL to set up Digital Satellite Phone Terminals (DSPT) in very remote areas well before polls," said Jajoria.
An expert said a satellite phone works well without terrestrial cell sites because it connects to orbiting satellites.
"It is beyond the capacity of Maoists to disrupt its service and even when they disrupt the existing terrestrial cell sites in a particular area, these phones would ensure zero-disruption communication between poll officials in the field and at the control room," said a police officer.
Gupta said we have written a requisition to the Union home ministry. A police officer said the phones would be used according to the wit of the deputy collectors and SPs. The phones would be additional communication infrastructure to existing wireless phones.
Earlier, Maoists had targeted mobile towers during elections disrupting communication network. Jharkhand police spokesperson Anurag Gupta said he would not disclose the number of phones due to security reasons.
Satellite phones will be used in places with poor communication network or at places where Maoists disturb the communication channels.
State's chief electoral officer P K Jajoria said satellite phones would be used by state police and also by paramilitary forces deployed in Red zones. There are some parts of Jharkhand, like the core zones of Palamu Tiger Reserve and Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary which do not have mobile phone network coverage. Satellite phones will be necessary in such areas.
The phones will be extensively used in the first phase of polls on April 10 when election will be held in Chatra, Palamu, Lohardaga and Koderma all Maoist-hit. In other phases too the phones will be extensively used. The intelligence inputs available with police suggest the Maoists may try to disrupt polls.
The chief electoral officer has also requested BSNL to improve existing telephone network. The satellite phones would have BSNL connections. "We have also requested BSNL to set up Digital Satellite Phone Terminals (DSPT) in very remote areas well before polls," said Jajoria.
An expert said a satellite phone works well without terrestrial cell sites because it connects to orbiting satellites.
"It is beyond the capacity of Maoists to disrupt its service and even when they disrupt the existing terrestrial cell sites in a particular area, these phones would ensure zero-disruption communication between poll officials in the field and at the control room," said a police officer.
Gupta said we have written a requisition to the Union home ministry. A police officer said the phones would be used according to the wit of the deputy collectors and SPs. The phones would be additional communication infrastructure to existing wireless phones.