Wednesday, December 29 2004 21:51 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hoshiarpur (Punjab): Bharti Tele-Ventures, operator of Airtel mobile phone services, today (Dec 29, 2004) announced an investment Rs 20 crore in Andaman and Nicobar islands for restoration of telecommunication link by March 31 next year.

Airtel would be using microwave and VSAT for providing its services in the islands, Chairman of the Bharti Group Sunil Bharti Mittal told reporters in Punjab.

He said that a number of communication centres would also be set up in the coastal belt of Tamil Nadu to provide telecom link in the areas affected by the Tsunami tidal wave recently.

Mittal said that the group has decided to donate Rs one crore to the Prime Minister's relief fund for the survivors of South India.

Around 7,000 employees of the Airtel group are also pooling in cash and relief material in kind to donate to Chief Minister's relief fund of their respective States, he said.

He said that steps had been initiated on a war footing to restore communication links in the affected areas, especially near hospitals, police stations, temporary shelters and other public places along the coastal belt in Tamil Nadu to address the communication needs of he affected people.