SRINAGAR: The 4G internet service that was withdrawn in August is still not being restored even at the peak of a pandemic. Medical professionals believe it will help manage the crisis by speedy communication, knowledge sharing and educating the people at ground zero.
Besides, the private schools’ owners said the tens of thousands of students literally in-home quarantine could get busy with some sort of interaction and education during all these weeks if the government could have restored the facility.
On Wednesday, an order was circulating on social media for the whole day. Late in the evening, the government said the order was fake and the earlier order issued on this subject stands. The “fake” order had, however, restricted the restoration of the service to Jammu only.
This is a fake order. The order issued earlier vide https://t.co/nBBQMj99kd is valid up to 26/03/20. pic.twitter.com/H5GPi0VfgG
— DIPR-J&K (@diprjk) March 25, 2020
GNS, a local news gatherer rang up the Union Minister of State for Home who said his ministry has ordered the restoration of the high-speed internet.
As the news moved around, a Delhi based news agency said nothing of this sort has happened.
Neither the Ministry of Home Affairs nor the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has issued any such orders. The news report is not true: MHA on reports of 4G services restored in J&K pic.twitter.com/SqEVJvoaJK
— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2020
Earlier in the day, Srinagar Mayor had also indicated that things are moving in the right direction and the service will be restored. One of the scribes asked him to withdraw his tweet as nothing his happening but the Mayor asserted that he knew it is coming so he will not delete the tweet.
I don’t delete my tweets. Relax Rifat. I have credible information to believe there is going to be positive headway on #4G very soon. I’d rather be a fool than a cynic. If it doesn’t happen – I’ll try MORE and KEEP trying till it happens. Cynicism is a luxury I can’t afford. – JM https://t.co/bfr8hzsgN9
— Mayor of Srinagar (@MayorofS) March 25, 2020
Already almost everybody has sought its restoration – BJP, Congress, PDP, NC, Dr Farooq Abdullah. Omar Abdullah also made the demand after setting his foot outside his sub-jail. Now Omar is angry. He asked why should “we be made like beggars”.
If you are going to restore our 4G then please just go ahead & do it. Stop messing with our heads with these “orders” “fake orders” & “denials”. Why should we be made to feel like beggars for restoration of basic services the rest of the nation take for granted?
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 25, 2020
Nobody knows what is happening. In Kashmir, 4G is as elusive as the cure of Covid-19 in the rest of the world.
