Curbs on high-speed internet have now run for over 500 days.
Srinagar: There have been a lot of developments on the resumption of 4G services in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past. Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha recently said that he has constituted a committee to lift curbs on high-speed internet and told the media that very soon, people of Jammu and Kashmir will get “good news”.
Earlier, trade bodies and various organizations of students, along with private school owners’ associations, appealed to the authorities to lift the curbs on high-speed internet as their interests are getting hit by the continued curbs which have now run for more than 500 days.
As the functioning of private schools in entire Jammu and Kashmir is getting affected by the ongoing curbs on high-speed internet, a few days back, around 3,800 private schools from Jammu and Kashmir moved the Supreme Court, seeking complete restoration of high-speed internet without any further delay.
With the matter in the Supreme Court, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday ordered reopening of all universities and degree colleges for offline classes.
In the government order issued by the higher education department, it said that offline class work for students would resume after winter vacations end in all the universities and colleges.
The Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir has challenged the 11 December 2020 order of the Central government restricting internet speed in Jammu & Kashmir to 2G on the ground that it violated Articles 14 (right to equality), 19 (1)(a) (right to freedom of speech and expression and 21 (right to life and personal liberty of the Constitution.
The vice-president of the Private Schools’ Association told the media in Srinagar that they were forced to move to the Supreme Court as the curbs have now become a routine and the government is only trying to carry on with low-speed internet services here.
It is in place to mention that the Supreme Court on 10 January 2020, declared access to the internet a guaranteed right under Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution.
After a lot of hearing in the Supreme Court, finally the Central government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration said that they will restore high-speed internet in a staggered manner, Jammu and Kashmir being a sensitive place.
After the Supreme Court verdict, the Jammu & Kashmir administration restored 4G services in Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley and in the Udhampur district of Jammu on a trial basis and even after no adverse feedback from the intelligence agencies, no other district in Jammu and Kashmir could get 4G services so far.
With focus on offline classes and the J&K administration trying to open all the educational institutions, including schools, it seems that the curbs may continue on high-speed internet, but traders and students are having hope on the recent assurances by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha that his administration will soon restore 4G services in Jammu and Kashmir.