This story is from October 8, 2020

Network woes: Pupils attend classes from bus stand in Uttara Kannada

With connectivity almost non-existent in the homes, students of three villages in Devalamakki gram panchayat, Karwar taluk, converge on a bus stand nearby every day to access the internet and attend online classes.
Network woes: Pupils attend classes from bus stand in Uttara Kannada
There is only one mobile tower in Devalamakki, which comprises eight villages. Connectivity is a daily problem for students
BENGALURU: With connectivity almost non-existent in the homes, students of three villages in Devalamakki gram panchayat, Karwar taluk, converge on a bus stand nearby every day to access the internet and attend online classes.
Connectivity is a big problem in forest and hilly areas in Uttara Kannada and it has put pressure on students as they have to find a spot from where they can connect.

Devalamakki, about 28km from Karwar, comprises eight villages and three of them, Nage, Shirve and Kove, have no mobile network. Shirve is located on a hill, while Nage and Kove are surrounded by thick forests. There is only one mobile tower — belonging to BSNL — in Devalamakki.
The three villages have 26 houses and a population of 1,500 of which 10% are students. These students now either have to walk or ride a bicycle every day to find a spot from where they can access the net. Some of them sit in shops, while others sit in bus stops or a friend’s house.
“We are all poor agriculturists, but we want our children to get an education. With classes now online, we had to buy mobile phones which were of no use till now,” said Nagaraj Padwalkar, a local.
Others said, “These villages are rich in greenery and are tourist destinations. People come here to trek. But we lack basic facilities like a mobile network. Government should think about it.”
Prajwal Shet, a villager, said people’s representatives in the area should come forward to solve the problem students face. Erecting new mobile towers in the area is the way forward, he said.
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