Mobile : Bane or boon ?
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 01, 2009 -

One of the wonders of modern technology or nano-technology, if we can call it that, has obviously been the mobile phone and the manner in which it has impacted on the lives of everyone is there for all to see.

After BSNL came to Manipur with post paid mobile connections in 2004, the people here came to terms with a new definition of communication.

It not only meant better connectivity between the people as well as bettering performances which in turn led to greater outputs, it also meant a telling change in the life-style of the people.

However the real visible change came with the arrival of the private players with Aircel leading the pack sometime in 2006 followed by others such as Reliance, Airtel, Vodafone, Tata Indicom all with attractive offerings such as GPRS facility, a technology which enables one to hook up to the internet using a lap top.

BSNL had the initial advantage in the sense that its coverage was wider, but the private players followed suit and today almost all the district headquarters and even the interiors today come under mobile coverage.

Before mobile phones came to Manipur there was the Wireless on Local Loop or WLL and now with the upgraded version of the WLL available, albeit in limited numbers, the importance of the hitherto indispensable land line has been decreasing with each passing year.

Not bad, considering the time it takes to get a land line connection as well its frequent breakdown by way of the cable wire getting snapped and the hassles one has to undergo to get any fault repaired.

We are not experts to comment on the technology involved in mobile phones, but suffice it to say that it has had a great impact on the lives of the people and for all its positive aspect, like other technologies, mobile telephony too comes with its share of the down sides.

If we are not mistaken, mobile telephones landed late in Manipur due to serious objections raised by the Union Home Ministry on account of the law and order situation. As things have unfolded, no one can keep away the fruits of technology from a part of the world for long and ultimately mobile phones debuted in Manipur in 2004.

However as the Union Home Ministry feared, the coming of the mobile phones too has had its negative impact and the best example one can think of now is the seizure of two SIM cards from the possession of an undertrial prisoner in Sajiwa jail.

The police suspect that the said undertrial master minded the killing of contractor Y Krishnadas and he could be in touch with his men through the mobile phone. Sajiwa jail is not an exception for such practices have also been reported from other jails such as Tihar.

Other than the criminal elements making good use of this technology to carry on with their activities, mobile phones too have had a damning effect on the morales of the young. Remember the MMS of a young Delhi student that was widely circulated some years back ? The same has also been happening in Manipur.

On the other hand indiscriminate use of mobile phones, especially by the youngsters means wastage of hard earned money. However it should not be forgotten that in the ultimate analysis, it is not the technology that is bad, but the manner in which we utilise it that decides its merits and demerits.