SMS services partially resumed
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 1: The Government today failed to restore broadband internet services to hospitals in Kashmir, a day after they announced to restore it on the New Year eve.
Government yesterday announced to restore broadband services to hospitals in Kashmir almost five months after it was snapped on August 4, ahead of abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Excelsior spoke to at least 40 major Government hospitals across Kashmir and found that internet was not restored to any of these hospitals till this evening. Government had announced that it would restore internet at mid night to the hospitals.
The internet has not been restored to major hospitals in Srinagar including SMHS Srinagar, SKIMS Soura and Bemina, Bone and Joints Hospital, Lal Ded hospital, GB Pant hospital and Chest Diseases hospital. In SMHS and SKIMS Soura, one each broadband connection was restored two months ago for Ayushman Bharat cells. However, it was down at SMHS hospital today.
Medical Superintendent of SKIMS hospital Bemina, Shafa Deva said that broadband internet was not restored to the SKIMS Bemina. “We had given three landline numbers for the restoration of broadband services. However, so far no internet has been restored to the hospital”, she said.
In Bandipora, internet has not been restored to district hospital Bandipora (01957-225002), Office of Chief Medical Officer (01957-225024, 22535) and Community Health Centre Hajin Bandipora (01954-265220).
The internet to Baramulla District hospital and Government Medical College Baramulla was restored two months ago. However, internet has not been restored to sub-district Hospital Sopore (01954-220800) and Sub district Hospital Pattan (01954-231118).
The Internet has also not been restored to District Hospital Kupwara (01955-252278), office of CMO Kupwara (01955-252689) and District Hospital Handwara (01955-262194).
In South Kashmir’s Anantnag and Kulgam districts, it has not been restored to Government Medical College Anantnag (01932-22170), office of CMO Anantnag (01932-222255), Community Health Centre Anantnag (01932-227801), Sub-district hospital Bijbehara (01932-234063), office of CMO Kulgam (01932-603982) and other hospitals in the district today. The officials at three hospitals told Excelsior that they have been asked to give an undertaking before the internet is restored to them.
In Shopian and Pulwama districts of South Kashmir, it has not been restored to District Hospital Shopian (01933-2605752), Primary Health Centre Zainapora, Shopian (01933-264053), CHC Rajpora (01933-278666), Sub District Hospital Tral (01933-250255) and other major hospitals.
In District hospital Pulwama and Sub District hospital Pampore, Valley Network Pvt Ltd and Fast Hook Pvt Ltd are providing internet. The officials at these hospitals told Excelsior that the internet providers have asked them to get clearance from the Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police (Cargo) Srinagar.
The Short Service Messaging (SMS) of all service providers except Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have also not been restored. Two officials, one each from Airtel and Jio, told Excelsior that they have got no Government orders for restoration of SMS services.
Director Information Jammu and Kashmir, Sehrish Asgar, told Excelsior that the broadband services have been restored to the Government hospitals across Kashmir. She said that at certain places there are local issues or non-payment of bills for non-restoration of internet which should be sorted out locally. On the clearance for restoration of these services to the hospitals, she said that no clearance is needed. She said that there are some technical issues on the restoration of SMS services.
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