Amid looming coronavirus threat, people in Kashmir are frantically searching on Google to find out information on Covid-19, but the low-speed internet comes in way. After the closure of the schools and colleges in the wake of coronavirus scare, the students find it hard to study online, courtesy low speed internet.
Shafeeq Ahmad, a Srinagar resident said in these tryingtimes the high speed internet must be restored.
A senior doctor from SMHS on the basis of anonymity saidthat “Kashmiris are furiously Googling to seek information about coronavirus,but unfortunately the law speed mars them.”
On 11 March the World Health Organization termed theoutbreak as a global pandemic. “Soon after the announcement, Jammu and Kashmirfuriously Googled the word (pandemic), to understand the extent of theoutbreak,” the doctor said, adding that “it topped the district in Indiasearching for the meaning of pandemic”.
“Because of the Internet hindrances we (the doctors) areunable to get updated about the spread of coronavirus or access online advice,not to talk of common people,” he said.
Meanwhile, many users said that they were hopeful ofrestoration of high speed mobile internet as the review meeting is scheduledfor Tuesday. “We are hopeful that in thewake of global outbreak of the coronavirus, the high speed Internet will berestored in Tuesday’s review meeting,” said a group of undergraduate doctors.
Muhammad Maroof, an uptown Srinagar resident said that inother countries the cellular companies have announced “free high-speed internetservice for 60 days” to students as many schools and colleges there havetemporarily closed or switch to online classes in the wake of coronavirusoutbreak.
“It is surprisingly that in such a situation we are deniedthe high speed internet,” he said, adding that thousands of students areconfined to their homes now-a-days. “They need to learn and read online sincetheir schools have been closed.”
The high speed mobile internet service remains suspended inthe Kashmir valley since August 5 last year, when the Central Governmentabrogated special status of Jammu and Kashmir and divided it into two UnionTerritories. The broadband, fixed line internet service and the 2G mobileinternet, however, are functioning for the past over a month. The governmentlifted ban on all social media network though users “are being closelymonitored by Cyber Police Station, Kashmir Zone”.
The next meeting of UT administration will be held on March17 (Tuesday) to decide further course of action in regard to restoration of thefull speed internet. The Supreme Courthad directed the UT administration to hold review meeting on internet ban.
“At this point I can’t say anything about decision in comingreview meeting,” a senior official said. “Any development can take place.”