While the government has allowed access to only a few hundred whitelisted sites on low-speed 2G internet in Kashmir, users are complaining that even the whitelisted sites are not working properly.
Since morning, numerous youths preparing forcompetitive examinations called Greater Kashmir and said they can’t access somewebsites. “Since last evening we can’t access UPSC website,” said Sameer Ahmadwho is preparing for a competitive examination. “Even some mailing sites arenot opening.”
Another caller Irshad Ahmad said that heused to read some online newspapers on 2G internet. “Now even I am not able toaccess my Yahoo mail,” he said, adding that before Government blocked the VPNs,these site were working on 2G internet.
“Internet miseries are piling up with eachpassing day,” the youth lamented.
Thousands of students, Irshad said, are nowrelying on 2G system. “But the question is how can we undertake research wheneven the whitelisted sites are having issues,” he said.
“If the government thinks that a fewpersons misuse VPNs, why to deny internet to 13 million people of J&K?” heasked.
Officials said that issues are being fixed.”As the firewall has almost been completed, related issues are also beingfixed,” an official said.
Internet services, landline and mobilephones were snapped across Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of Centre’sannouncement to scrap special status of the state on August 5, 2029. While mostof the services except mobile internet were restored in Jammu within a week, Kashmirwitnessed restoration of landlines, postpaid mobile services and internetfacilities to essential services like hospitals in phases.
Last week, J&K Home Department in anorder said that restrictions on internet would continue till March 4. InternetService Providers (ISPs) have been asked to ensure access to 1,674 white-listedsites only and not to any social media applications allowing peer-to-peercommunication and VPN applications.
The websites that have been whitelistedinclude around 85 sites categorised as “utilities”, 60 news websites, over 45education sites, 14 banking sites, 12 search engine websites, 19 travel sites,18 entertainment websites and four mail websites — Yahoo, Outlook, Gmail andRediff.
Among other websites that have been whitelistedare automobile websites, employment sites such as Naukri.com, and governmentwebsites, including that of J&K Police, UIDAI, GST department, passportoffices and other essential official sites.
The largest category among the whitelistedwebsites is that of those classified as utilities. These include onlineshopping websites like Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon, websites of courier companies,Swiggy, Zamato, Jio chat, Fabindia and Paytm. However, most of these websitesrequire 4G internet to work properly.