Restoration of 4G in J&K: Priority to non-border districts with low level of violence

New Delhi | Srinagar: The J&K administration will resume 4G internet services in two non-border districts with low level of violence by the weekend. One Jammu district and one from Kashmir will be chosen for the purpose, according to sources. Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, who returned to Srinagar on Wednesday, after a short visit to New Delhi since his takeover, will be consulted before identifying the districts, officials said.
Officials ruled out Rajouri, Poonch, Sambha, Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla as they border Pakistan, while districts such as Srinagar, Anantnag and Shopian have reported maximum violence since Article 370 was made ineffective. Stone pelting, however, plummeted to 211 in January-June 2020, compared to 604 in the same period last year.

High-speed internet services in J&K were suspended last August when the Centre revoked the state’s special status and bifurcated it into Union Territories. The Centre restored 2G services in J&K on January 25 and later announced the setting up of a special committee for restoration of 4G internet on the SC directions. After several rounds of hearing, the Centre on Tuesday informed SC that the panel has decided to resume 4G on a trial in limited areas after August 15. The panel also wants the UT administration to calibrate the restoration of 4G and subject it to monitoring and periodic review. The next review will be in October.

Sinha, meanwhile, met representatives of urban local bodies and sarpanches in Srinagar on Wednesday, where local representatives raised concerns over attacks on political workers and sarpanches, officials said. Sinha paid tributes to political workers killed recently in his first address as LG. He said that the government has taken steps to ensure their security and to address their concerns. The administration had to be cautious while framing security strategy for panchayat representatives and other political workers, he said.