Mustang, 15 June: At the initiative of Baragung Muktikshetra Rural Municipality, Nepal Telecom Jomsom under the Nepal Telecommunications Authority has established communication access in Sangta, a border village of Mustang and Dolpa.

Sangta village, located near the Mustang-Dolpa border, is a remote settlement identified by the federal government in 2022. This village is located about 40 kilometers away from Jomsom. Located on a steep slope, which is considered geographically remote, Sangta village is home to 13 families. There were 34 voters here in the previous local level elections.

Sangta village, which is dependent on agriculture and animal husbandry, falls under Baragung Muktikshetra-5. Development has started to take its toll in this village, which has a low presence of government agencies. Earlier, the daily life of the citizens here, which was made difficult by poverty, illiteracy and economic hardship, is gradually becoming easier.

Locals are excited that the daily life will be easier after the expansion of roads, access to solar energy and the start of mobile network services in Mustang and Dolpa. The citizens here, who used to spend seven months in the village and five months in the harsh weather every year, have now started to receive basic services and a sense of hope has begun to emerge.

Nepal Telecom has extended mobile phone and 3G internet services to Sangta village by connecting them from the repeater tower of the microwave radio link located in Ghiuladanda of Waragung Muktikshetra-2, informed Hum Bahadur Bhujel, head of the Telecom Jomsom office. According to him, communication access has been established by connecting the Best Transmission Station (BTS).

Office Chief Bhujel said that the service has been operational after the construction of a BTS repeater tower and another BTS repeater for mobile service and physical infrastructure have been completed in Sangta village to operate 3G internet services along with mobile services in Sangta village.

According to the government’s goal, mobile network service has been brought into operation in Sangta village with the aim of expanding access to quality communication services for the people, said Office Chief Bhujel. He informed that a 48-volt electricity capacity mobile network service has been brought into operation by connecting solar energy panels to start mobile (BTS) service in Sangta, a border village on the Mustang-Dolpa road.

Local Tshiring Palsang Gurung expressed confidence that the expansion of communication access will make people’s lives easier with the launch of Nepal Telecom’s (BTS) mobile service in the village for the first time. “Earlier, if you had to call someone outside, you had to walk for an hour and go to the lake, now that communication services have reached the village, time and expense have been saved,” he said.

Gurung said that mobile phones can be used to get information in times of disaster and for business purposes as well. Local Jhapyang Gurung said that after the launch of mobile service in the village, it has become easier to read news, make calls and receive any information.

Rinjing Namgel Gurung, Chairman of Waragung Muktishtetra Rural Municipality, said that the launch of mobile service in Sangta, a remote village in the district, has brought hope to the locals. He expressed confidence that the launch of mobile service in the village will make communication facilities easier for pregnant women and those with chronic diseases, as well as everyone who comes here.

“We were not able to provide communication services here due to geographical remoteness and low population. After continuous efforts, the government has given concrete form to our efforts. We believe that communication will help in the development of the area, including the problems, challenges, development infrastructure here,” he said.

Surendra Gurung, Ward Chairman of Waragung-5, said that a structure with a fence will be constructed to protect the mobile tower and communication house installed in Sangta village.

Dicky Gurung, Vice Chairman of Muktishtetra, said that the rural municipality was successful in bringing solar energy electricity last year and mobile service into operation this year.

“While access to electricity and communication has been established in all 96 villages of Mustang, Sangta village was not able to reach electricity and communication facilities due to its geographical remoteness. The village was at risk of being displaced due to the lack of basic services available to the people here,” he said.

In the past two years, when solar energy, electricity and BTS mobile service of Telecom were operational in Sangta village, everyone, including the people’s representatives of the local bodies, has been affected. Along with this, Nepal Telecom has stated that it has established access to communication in all villages of Mustang.