For the first time, pilgrims on the annual Amarnath yatra will be able to avail mobile telephone services this year. Minister of state for communications and IT Sachin Pilot said it has been the endeavor of BSNL to provide telephone services throughout the country, including rural, remote, inhospitable and geographically difficult areas.
Mr Pilot further said the connectivity will be provided before June 30 and will specially benefit old and infirm and other people wanting to stay in touch with their families. Connectivity in this region would also benefit local inhabitants, administration, and security forces, enabling them to stay in touch with each other and facilitate people living in and visiting the area, said officials. At present, no other telephone operator provides service in the area.
BSNL has installed 9 mobile towers in the area.
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7 poachers caught in Assam
Age Correspondent
Guwahati
In a major breakthrough on Tuesday the wildlife rangers arrested seven poachers, including two former forest guards and recovered a rhino horn near Kaziranga National Park a Unesco recognised world heritage centre of Assam.
The poachers were arrested on Tuesday when they were in the process of selling a rhino horn to an international animal organ smuggling syndicate.
“In what has come as big surprise to us that two of the seven arrested were former forest guards at the Kaziranga National Park. One of them opted for voluntary retirement recently, while the other was sacked from service about three months ago for dereliction of duty,” said the park authorities who acting on a specific tip off busted the gang with the help of police. Besides rhino horn weighing 1.20 kg, the forest guards and police also seized Rs 3.45 lakh cash.