Uneasy calm prevails in Kashmir

Uneasy calm prevails in Kashmir as the restrictions have been eased out in most areas across the Valley, but normal life remained affected for the 30th consecutive day on Tuesday due to spontaneous shutdown and information blockade.

While barricades have been removed from most parts of the Valley, the deployment of security forces continues on the ground.

J&K government spokesman Rohit Kansal said as part of the “facilitation process”, the day time restrictions have been lifted from 92 out of 111 police station areas in Kashmir. On continuing communication blockade, he said, 26,000 landline phones have been restored in the Valley. “Restoration of mobile phones may take some more time,” he said.

The telecom services were blocked on the intervening night of August 4 and 5. As mobile and internet services continue to remain shut, the DTH connections too have started going off-air in the Valley as people are unable to recharge it.

The lifting of restrictions from different areas of Srinagar and elsewhere in Kashmir had resulted in increased movement of private vehicles since Monday. However, public transport still remains off the roads across the Valley.

Despite government orders reopening of schools up to class 10, the attendance of students in these schools remains abysmal though most of the teachers have reported back to the duties. For the past few days, local newspapers are filled with advertisements asking parents and students to visit schools with pen drives for collecting assignments.

The students of Class 10 and 12 have also been asked to visit the schools and submit the board examination forms before September 10. They have also been asked to collect video-recorded lectures for the upcoming board exams.

The Valley has come to a grinding halt due to restrictions, shutdown and communication blockade since August 5 when New Delhi scrapped Article 370 and reorganised Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories. Hundreds of people, including former chief minister Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, continue to remain in custody with reports of more arrests by the police pouring in from several areas of Kashmir.