Srinagar, Jan 27 : Based on a considered and
wide-ranging assessment of the prevailing situation, the government may
restore 4G Internet services in more districts in the Union territory
of Jammu and Kashmir.
Highly placed
sources said that the review by top authorities will be carried out
and if there is an improvement in the security situation appropriate
action will be taken accordingly.
“We
are assessing the situation. We may open it (4G) in more districts as
and when we deem it appropriate, given the level of peace we have in
the province,” said a top source in the administration wishing not to
be named.
One of the top officials
said that as a measure of precaution, they are not opening 4G services
even when they were aware that there is already peace in most of the
districts.
Since the ban on 4G, the
government has been maintaining that these security measures such as
the internet ban were necessary to better integrate the region with
India, foster greater economic development and stop threats from
“anti-national elements”.
Interestingly
Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, recently had
gave hints on restoration of high speed 4G internet services in the
remaining eighteen districts of the Union Territory (UT) soon.
“I
know 4G is working in just two districts of J&K. There is a
committee examining the issue. Hopefully, there will be good news soon
in the coming days,” he had said while replying a question at a press
conference in winter capital Jammu.
Last
week, the Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir
representing 3,800 institutions, filed a fresh affidavit seeking the
ease of restrictions on the internet. It said that children in J&K
were losing academic years because it’s impossible to conduct online
classes using video-conferencing tools such as Zoom or WebEx at 2G
mobile Internet speed.
The Jammu
and Kashmir administration recently extended the suspension of internet
till February 6, saying the services will continue to be restricted to
2G. The ban was extended to all districts except Ganderbal and
Udhampur districts.
In an order, the administration also said Internet connectivity shall be continued to be made available, with Mac-binding.
Principal
Secretary to the Union Territory administration Shaleen Kabra had said
that he was satisfied with the reports of law enforcement agencies
that it was necessary to extend the ban “in the interest of the
sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state and for
maintaining public order.”
According
to the order, the law enforcement agencies’ reports indicated that the
suspension had helped thwart plans of militant organisations operating
in the Union Territory to “misguide, incite and provoke the youth in
furthering their anti-India agenda since regulation of high speed
internet mobile internet prevents easy
streaming/dissemination/downloading of such material/videos”.
Meanwhile sources told KINS that the administration is taking action against those who are spreading rumours.
“We
have taken action against some people who have scripted wrong stories
and rumours. Police have already been tasked to collect details of all
such people who are participating in spreading wrong information, “said
the source.
It is to mention here
that the J&K administration restored 4G services in Udhampur and
Ganderbal districts on a trial basis on August 16 last year, but refused
to extend high-speed mobile internet beyond these precincts citing
inputs from security agencies about “terror modules trying to lure
youths into militant organizations.”
The
services was restored in Ganderbal and Udhampur districts of the Union
Territory and it was for the first time when high speed internet
services returned to the region after restrictions were clamped
following abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile
state into two union territories last year on August 5.
The
restoration of 4G services was done on the recommendation of a panel
constituted by the Supreme Court of India to review the restrictions
vis-à-vis the security situation in the Union Territory.
The
decision was in line with Centre’s assurance to the Supreme Court that
the 4G ban will be lifted in one district each in Jammu and Kashmir
divisions from August 16 last year.(KINS)