LG’s statement on internet restoration disappoints J&K

The statement of G C Murmu, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, that internet services in the Valley would be restored “in a phased manner once the situation turns more normal” has disappointed people of all walks of life.

Murmu on Wednesday said that they were reviewing internet ban and as the situation becomes “more normal” it will be restored in a phased manner. “On one hand the government claims that the situation has normalised in Kashmir while on the other it negates it’s own statement by saying internet services would be restored only when it situation becomes ‘more normal’,” Tufail Shah, a businessman told DH.

He said that people from all sectors were badly hit due to internet gag. “It (internet ban) has created a huge void which is difficult to fill. Our business has been badly hit due to the gagging of the internet,” Shah added.

His views were echoed by a senior doctor at Srinagar’s super-specialty SMHS hospital. “In the absence of the internet, not only patients but doctors too are facing a lot of inconveniences. Those medicos, pursuing research have been badly hit while patients are not able to utilise benefits under central sponsored health schemes which are all online,” he said.

Athar Qadri, a travel operator said their business got ruined after August 5 and the internet ban was one of the main reasons for it. “First the government issued an advisory to tourists to run away from Kashmir on August 2. It’s impact remained for some months, but now it has been over four months, we are not able to restart our business due to internet gag,” he said.

Qadri mocked at recent government claims that internet services for people associated with the tour and travel industry would be restored. “Internet services of a few blue-eyed hoteliers and travel agencies were restored which is just an eyewash. The majority of the people are eagerly waiting for it. However, LG’s statement has disappointed all of us,” he rued.

Internet along with landline and mobile services were snapped across Kashmir on August 5, hours before the Center scrapped J&K’s special status under Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories.

Although landline and post-paid mobile services were restored gradually till October 14, pre-paid, SMS and internet services continue to remain snapped for the last more than four months.