<p>Kalaburagi: High-frequency jammers installed at central prisons in the state are causing significant disruptions to mobile connectivity in surrounding villages, with local people living in 2-3 km radius unable to make calls or access the internet. The issue has aggravated after the prison administration started upgrading the jammers from 2G to 5G to prevent prisoners from using mobile phones.</p>.<p>With their mobile phones becoming virtually useless, people living around central prisons in Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Ballari, Belagavi and Bengaluru are finding it difficult to manage several day-to-day activities. </p>.<p>A host of banking services requires internet connectivity. Similarly, services like property mutation and getting documents from local civic bodies require mobile connectivity for the purpose of getting one-time passwords (OTP).</p>.'77% of online threat cases kids reported involved Insta'.<p>Ration shop owners say they are forced to visit nearby highways and other places to get the thumb impression of beneficiaries verified under the PDS system. Lack of internet access has hampered the MGNREGS works as officials are not able to verify the work location and other details through GPS.</p>.<p>“Central jail authorities have increased the range of jammers and this has affected several daily activities. People living in Panegaon, Setanur, Nandikur, Kotnur Udanur villages located within 3 km of the Kalaburagi prison are facing severe hardship. The frequency of these jammers should be restricted to the prison’s radius of 100 to 200 metres. We have submitted a memorandum to jail authorities and warned of laying siege to the prison if the problem is not resolved at the earliest,” said Nandikur Gram Panchayat’s former president Pavankumar Valkeri.</p>.<p>Hindalga Gram Panchayat member D B Patil claimed that high-frequency jammers at Belagavi prison are causing severe inconvenience to students as their online studies are affected. Similarly, business owners are suffering losses as the UPI service is not functioning, he said. People have already taken to streets to protest against jail authorities in Belagavi and Bengaluru (Parappana Agrahara).</p>.<p>“The areas surrounding Kadri, Bejai, PVS circle, Central market and City Municipal Corporation building are severely affected due to poor internet connectivity after the installation of jammers at Mangaluru Central Jail. I am suffering losses in business. The authorities have failed to address the problem despite protests,” said Ramesh Hedge, who runs a Seva Kendra, which provides services related to utility bills </p>.<p>The Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Malini Krishnamurthy, said the 2G jammers installed a long time ago at central prisons were not functioning, hence the government issued directions to upgrade them to 5G. However, the roll-out is not complete yet, she added. </p>.<p>Stating that upgradation of jammers in central prisons is being undertaken in a phased manner, the official said there would be some rough adjustment and testing going on for the purpose.</p>.<p>The official further said the agency responsible for installing jammers has been instructed to recalibrate the frequencies to minimise the impact on surrounding areas while maintaining prison <br>security.</p>.<p>“Telecommunication Consultants India Limited (TCIL), a Central government agency, has been assigned the task of installing 5G jammers at the prisons. New mobile phone jammers have caused significant disruptions to the internet for the residents as prisons are surrounded by human habitations. We have given clear instructions to the company many times to ensure that there is least disruption to the public,” the top prison official said.</p>
<p>Kalaburagi: High-frequency jammers installed at central prisons in the state are causing significant disruptions to mobile connectivity in surrounding villages, with local people living in 2-3 km radius unable to make calls or access the internet. The issue has aggravated after the prison administration started upgrading the jammers from 2G to 5G to prevent prisoners from using mobile phones.</p>.<p>With their mobile phones becoming virtually useless, people living around central prisons in Kalaburagi, Mangaluru, Ballari, Belagavi and Bengaluru are finding it difficult to manage several day-to-day activities. </p>.<p>A host of banking services requires internet connectivity. Similarly, services like property mutation and getting documents from local civic bodies require mobile connectivity for the purpose of getting one-time passwords (OTP).</p>.'77% of online threat cases kids reported involved Insta'.<p>Ration shop owners say they are forced to visit nearby highways and other places to get the thumb impression of beneficiaries verified under the PDS system. Lack of internet access has hampered the MGNREGS works as officials are not able to verify the work location and other details through GPS.</p>.<p>“Central jail authorities have increased the range of jammers and this has affected several daily activities. People living in Panegaon, Setanur, Nandikur, Kotnur Udanur villages located within 3 km of the Kalaburagi prison are facing severe hardship. The frequency of these jammers should be restricted to the prison’s radius of 100 to 200 metres. We have submitted a memorandum to jail authorities and warned of laying siege to the prison if the problem is not resolved at the earliest,” said Nandikur Gram Panchayat’s former president Pavankumar Valkeri.</p>.<p>Hindalga Gram Panchayat member D B Patil claimed that high-frequency jammers at Belagavi prison are causing severe inconvenience to students as their online studies are affected. Similarly, business owners are suffering losses as the UPI service is not functioning, he said. People have already taken to streets to protest against jail authorities in Belagavi and Bengaluru (Parappana Agrahara).</p>.<p>“The areas surrounding Kadri, Bejai, PVS circle, Central market and City Municipal Corporation building are severely affected due to poor internet connectivity after the installation of jammers at Mangaluru Central Jail. I am suffering losses in business. The authorities have failed to address the problem despite protests,” said Ramesh Hedge, who runs a Seva Kendra, which provides services related to utility bills </p>.<p>The Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Malini Krishnamurthy, said the 2G jammers installed a long time ago at central prisons were not functioning, hence the government issued directions to upgrade them to 5G. However, the roll-out is not complete yet, she added. </p>.<p>Stating that upgradation of jammers in central prisons is being undertaken in a phased manner, the official said there would be some rough adjustment and testing going on for the purpose.</p>.<p>The official further said the agency responsible for installing jammers has been instructed to recalibrate the frequencies to minimise the impact on surrounding areas while maintaining prison <br>security.</p>.<p>“Telecommunication Consultants India Limited (TCIL), a Central government agency, has been assigned the task of installing 5G jammers at the prisons. New mobile phone jammers have caused significant disruptions to the internet for the residents as prisons are surrounded by human habitations. We have given clear instructions to the company many times to ensure that there is least disruption to the public,” the top prison official said.</p>