The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday ordered continued restriction of mobile data speeds citing a ‘security scenario’ in the union territory that has been without proper internet connectivity for well over seven months. Today’s teenagers have never known an internet that couldn’t stream as much content as they want on demand. But what would you do if you simply couldn’t access the internet for months on end?
We are so used to the internet in our daily lives. We use it for communication, for our work, for information, for connecting with family and friends and even for entertainment. It has embedded itself in our lifestyle just enough for it to be a necessity and an absolute requirement, so much so that even a minute’s withdrawal causes us anxiety and irritation.
Just think about your reaction the last time you had an improper or poor connection, or your netpack expired.
Now imagine an entire day without the internet. Or how about a whole month. Now imagine seven months because that was the life of all the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir since August 4 when a communication blackout was clamped down on the union territory.
Subsequently, in the months that followed, the authorities made some relaxations, albeit not to the extent that one would have expected.
On January 24 this year, the Jammu and Kashmir government restored 2G mobile data services to all networks nearly six months after the internet remained suspended completely after the Centre revoked Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Then earlier this month, the ban on social media sites that was in place for over seven months was lifted.
However, curbs on high-speed 3G, 4G internet services have been extended till a further review .
What this means is that, even today, effectively speaking, no worthwhile work can be done on the internet if you are living in Jammu and Kashmir.
While some quarters have been pushing for the restrictions to be lifted immediately, especially in view of the latest coronavirus threat where reduced human contact is encouraged as a measure to stop the spread of this deadly virus, Jammu and Kashmi&K continues to remain in a state of partial lockdown as far as internet connectivity is concerned.
According to a government notification released on Tuesday, high-speed internet will continue to remain suspended across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir till March 26.
The Goan decided to ask the tough one: Can you imagine a day when you are unable to use your phone to make or receive calls, or using the internet to scroll through your favourite social media apps is so frustrating that you just give up for lack of speed or connectivity? And most importantly, what would you do with all that free time?J&K Students despair as Colleges announce online admission
