Provides 600 new connections on priority
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the only telecom company functional across the State has been providing fresh postpaid connections to government officials only, leaving the locals who seek fresh connection in despair.
At least six hundred (600) new connections have been given to the officials on the priority basis in two days, while as the ones who lurk in the hospitals or anywhere far from their homes have been standing in queues outside the telephone exchange in vain.
“We distributed sims to officials only which were activated on the spot,” BSNL spokesperson told Kashmir Post. However the locals haven’t been provided any fresh connections. “We are first providing the connections to the government officials for the smooth functioning. We may soon consider the locals for the services,” PRO said.
Owing to the communication curb and the unrest going on in the valley people who have been cut off from their families seek new BSNL postpaid connections to talk to the ones lost in these times of turbulence, as BSNL’S postpaid is the only network right now connecting people in Kashmir.
“I was waiting in the queue since morning and every person standing in front of me was leaving empty handed, on reaching the counter we were told that no fresh sims will be given to locals,” says Athar, who has a ailing daughter back home in north Kashmir and needs to talk to her, as he is caught in the situation and got stuck here in the city.
“To merely make a call to check on my daughter I have to be a high ranked government official, so that I will have the access to the government owned Telecom Company and get a sim,” he adds.
The locals are deprived of the basic needs, let the restrictions go on for a longer time from now, electricity, water and food will be cut off too after internet, cellular and landlines were taken out.
Barring communication in Kashmir after the turbulence following the killing of Militant Commander Burhan Muzafar Wani from south of Kashmir, have led people to suffer and cutting them off from their homes have taken a toll on their mental health as well.
Early reports published in the sections of local press have also claimed communication barring to be a vital reason for the worsening situation in the valley. Even some of the observers believe that it (communication blackout) triggered more and more violent protests.
Also the ones who have been given the privilege to dial a number from their postpaid connections are in new problem of receiving fat bills, for the government owned Telecom Company doesn’t spare their users, be it for missing the due date because of the ongoing situation and blockade.
“Everyone around me has been using my phone since the network blockade, as the other networks apart from BSNL postpaid have been shelved due to which I am expecting a huge bill amount,” Manzoor ul Hassan, a local scribe said .
‘Sim cards being sold at skyrocket prices’
Srinagar: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is learnt to be making “good business” out of current crisis.
Eyewitness said that the “fresh postpaid sims are being sold illegally at sky touching prices to helpless, people have reported the blacking marketing of BSNL postpaid sims here in Srinagar, taking advantage of the situation and Kashmiri’s need new connections are being given to people at a price of 1000 rupees for one sim.”
