7 days walk just to make a phone call

As 'mobile' phones become increasingly within reach of average Nepalis, it is difficult to believe that people in rural areas of the country still make a week long journey on foot just to make a telephone call.

However, it is true. According to Kantipur Daily, locals from rural areas of Sandkuwasabha district are compelled to come to the district headquarters to make phone calls as their VDC's lack telephone connections.

Locals especially from Kimathanka and Chepuwa near the Chinese border are the worst affected as they have walk a good seven days to reach the district headquarter Khandbari if they have to make an important phone call.

Although a private phone company had installed one satellite phone in each of these VDC's which fall in the remote Bhotkhola region of the district two years ago, locals complain that the phones doesn't have good connectivity, is without any dial tone most of the time and it is very difficult to re-charge its battery.

Because the satellite phones don't work properly, the local don't have any option but to trek to the district headquarters to make a call. Thilejangbu Bhote said that his investment of Rs 150,000 went down the drains as the satellite phone he had installed didn't function properly. He said that STM company which had installed the satellite phone two years ago had become useless in just two days. nepalnews.com Aug 30 08