MAPUSA
Online services at the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) have been disrupted for over a week, after the electricity department cut off internet cables which were tied to electricity department poles in Mapusa.
This has affected hundreds of people who visit the municipal office for online services on a daily basis.
According to information, the MMC has been provided with internet service by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) as part of the Digital India. This internet service was connected to the municipal council through an operator.
On January 18, the electricity department, acting on the orders of the High Court, cut most of cables and channels placed on electricity poles in Mapusa city. This also included the internet cable of the NIC connected to the MMC office.
Since it was a Saturday, the municipal office was closed and no one took note of the disruption in internet service.
However on Monday, it was found out that the entire internet service was disconnected, leading to a disruption in online services at the municipal office.
The MMC then contacted the NIC to restore the service but the internet connection has not been provided by authorities till Tuesday.
Due to a lack of internet for the past week, the MMC’s online services such as birth and death certificates, business license tax, house rent tax, house rent transfer and renewal, electricity and water NOC, construction license, house repair license, occupancy certificate, approval letter of government schemes like the girl scheme and income certificate have been disrupted.
Some of these certificates are essential for people to avail of services and in the absence of services, people cannot avail of various schemes and facilities.
According to sources, an average of about 150-200 people visit the municipal office each day for various online services.
People visiting the MMC office have been forced to go back as council staff are unaware as to when the internet connectivity would be restored.
When contacted, MMC Vist Chairperson Sushant Harmalkar confirmed that the internet service of the MMC has been disrupted after the internet cable had been cut off by the electricity department.
“A request has been made to the state branch of the NIC to restore this service and the MMC is making efforts in this regard,” said Harmalkar.
Sources said the NIC office is reported to have initially agreed to restore the service. However, the NIC has now instructed the MMC to seek permission from the electricity department and only then would the internet service be restored.
