Broadband to be partially restored in J&K today

The Jammu
and Kashmir administration, days after the Supreme Court ordered a review of
the restrictions imposed in the Union Territory, on Tuesday evening allowed
mobile Internet in parts of Jammu region and broadband in establishments
providing essential services.

The order
comes into effect from today and shall remain in force for seven days, a
government communication said.

At the
beginning of this year, short messaging service (SMS) on all mobile phones in
Kashmir, and broadband internet services were restored in government-run
hospitals.

Mobile
phone, landline and internet services were disconnected in the erstwhile state of
Jammu and Kashmir on August 4, a day before the Centre withdrew its special
status and divided it into two Union territories — Jammu & Kashmir with a
legislative assembly and Ladakh without one.

In a three page
order, the administration asked Internet service providers to offer broadband
facility to all institutions dealing with essential services such as hospitals,
banks and government offices. Mac Binding essentially means to enforce a client
machine to work from a particular Internet Protocol address.

In order to
facilitate tourism, the broadband Internet services would be provided to hotels
and tour and travel establishments, the order said.

However, all
social media sites remain out of bounds.

The
institutions and government offices that are being provided Internet access
shall be responsible to prevent misuse, according to the order.

It said the
2G mobile connectivity on post-paid mobiles for accessing white-listed websites
including e-banking will be allowed in districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua,
Udhampur and Reasi  all in the Jammu
region.

The order
said that the police have brought material relating to the terror modules
operating in Jammu and Kashmir including handlers from across the border who
are attempting to aid and incite people by transmission of fake news and
targeted messages through use of the Internet.

The
relaxation came days after the Supreme Court said access to the Internet is a
fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution.

The court
had also asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to review within a week all
orders imposing restrictions in the Union Territory.

It had asked
the J-K administration to restore Internet services in institutions such as
hospitals and educational places providing essential services.