Amid Internet Ban, Sambalpur Students Visit Other Odisha Districts For Online Classes

Sambalpur: As internet services remain suspended in Odisha’s violence-torn Sambalpur, people belonging to various sections including students, professionals and businessmen are facing a tough time.

While the situation in the volatile Sambalpur is limping back to normal, the district administration on Thursday further extended the internet services suspension till 10 am on April 22 in order to prevent any untoward incident.

The internet shutdown imposed since April 13 has severely affected Sambalpur students who take online classes on Zoom and other social media apps.

Many students in Sambalpur who depended on YouTube and other sites for studies are facing a hard time due to internet ban imposed in the aftermath of large scale violence on April 12 during Hanuman Mahotsav celebrations.

A large number students as well as professionals,  businessmen, traders and employees of different companies are now forced to travel to areas in adjoining districts like Angul, Boudh and Bargarh for internet access.

While students travel out of Sambalpur for online classes, others also have to visit far off locations to complete pending works.

“I also preparing for different competitive examinations for which I attend online classes. However, internet services have been snapped for the last one week. As I cannot afford to miss my online classes, I have to travel to other places for internet access,” said a BTech student from Sambalpur at location on Angul border.

Though the network is a little slow in this area, the main purpose is met, he said, expressing the hope that the ban on internet services will be lifted soon in Sambalpur.

Several other students visit the border area of Boudh and Bargarh for their online classes.

Narrating a businessman from Sambalpur said he has to travel to places close to Burla to complete several pending online works for which internet access is essential. “Many of our activities have come to a grinding halt due to internet shutdown. We hope the ban will be lifted soon,” he said.

Internet services have been suspended in Sambalpur since April 13, a day after the district headquarters town witnessed clash between two groups ahead of Hanuman Mahotsav celebrations, to curb circulation of inflammatory messages and prevent misuse of social media. It was partially resumed in some blocks the previous day.