Ensuring that essential supplies including 24X7 electricity, water supply, healthcare and sanitation are being provided, the state administration said banking and ATM facilities had resumed operations with regular loading of cash. (AP File photo)The Jammu and Kashmir administration Thursday said that 92 per cent of the area has no restriction and government offices have been made fully functional from August 16. “92% of the area of Jammu & Kashmir has no restriction. Earlier, restrictions had been imposed by the local administration in some parts to maintain law and order. Some day time restrictions remain in only 11 of the total 199 Police Stations,” the state administration said in a press release.
Ensuring that essential supplies including 24X7 electricity, water supply, healthcare and sanitation are being provided, the state administration said banking and ATM facilities had resumed operations with regular loading of cash.
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The Centre on August 5 abrogated the special status conferred to the state of Jammu and Kashmir by Article 370 and bifurcated it into two union territories— Jammu & Kashmir and Leh Ladakh. Top mainstream political leaders who have been former chief ministers of the state including Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, had been put under house arrest and restrictions were sounded in Srinagar, Jammu and parts of the Valley.
Regarding the restrictions in certain parts of the state, the administration said, “Some restrictions on communications and preventive detentions have been made, as per law, at local administration level based on the ground situation with a view to maintain public law and order. These are being reviewed continuously and being eased based on the ground situation.”
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The notification stated that all hospitals and medical facilities had started functioning normally with no shortage of medicines. It further claimed that there was no case of over-pricing of medicines, as essential supplies had been found in more than 72 surprise checks and almost 95 per cent of health care professionals were back on duty. “In Srinagar, 1165 out of 1666 chemists shops are open. In Kashmir valley, 65 per cent of the 7630 retail chemists and 4331 wholesale chemists are open,” the statement read.
The notification stated that all hospitals and medical facilities had started functioning normally with no shortage of medicines. (Express file photo by Shuaib Masoodi)The statement said that nearly 1,20,000 quintals of rice had been distributed over the past three weeks and a special helpline number had been established in order to report any inadequacies relating to food. Nearly 8,50,000 LPG cylinders have been distributed in Srinagar in the past week ensuring no shortage in the supply of cooking gas.
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As per the statement, schools and colleges in the state have resumed classes, and it further claimed: “Primary and Middle schools reopened on August 19; Secondary schools reopened on August 26. Examinations in Government Medical College Srinagar were held between September 5 to September 12 and scheduled for mid-September to October.”
Mobile connectivity has been restored across the state where communication was completely cut off and internet kiosks have also been set up. “Mobile connectivity is being restored in the remaining 9 districts gradually, keeping in mind the threat posed by terrorist organisations in using mobile connectivity to organise terror actions,” the statement said.
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The Jammu and Kashmir Government has also launched a ‘Special Market Intervention Price Scheme’ to ensure price support for apple farmers, the statement said, adding that it aims at procuring 1.2 million metric ton of apple, thus generating over USD 800 million to support their livelihood.
