National Conference provincial President Devender Singh Rana Wednesday sought 4G internet to be declared as essential service under Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and called for its restoration in Jammu and Kashmir on immediate basis.
“The necessity of fast-speed internet has assumedsignificance following the launch of online academics by both, the governmentand the private educational institutions, as also the professionals engaged inwork from home,” Rana said in a statement, adding the facility was equallyimportant for medical diagnostic centres to ensure dispatch of findings tothose having undergone various routine tests.
He said many patients have switched over to tele-counsellingdue to restrictions on movement which makes high speed internet all the moreimportant.
Rana said the government might have apprehensions aboutpossible misuse of the internet services, but that should not be an excuse topunish entire population of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said there can always be checks and balances by puttingin place a robust mechanism of cyber monitoring to book violators and tacklingthem as per law.
This, he said, can serve as deterrent for misuse of theservice and, at the same time, not deny others access to dependable and fastspeed internet.
Rana reminded the administration of various publicdeclarations about imparting education online and motivating professionals towork from home, saying this has to be facilitated by restoring 4G.
He said widespread complaints were being lodged bystakeholders with regard to denial of high speed internet and government shouldtake a call and restore. He said the 2G internet has become biggest impedimentfor students, especially younger ones, to keep pace with the online education,as vast chunk of parents cannot afford broadband services.
Rana described provision of 4G internet as socialresponsibility of the government, saying people have been wholeheartedlysupporting every initiative to combat coronavirus and therefore they deserve abetter deal.