Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday ordered setting up telephones in Deputy Commissioners’ offices across Kashmir for students studying outside the state to talk to their families back home in the valley.
In view of the coming Eid festival, the Governor issued directions that students from outside J&K who wish to go to their homes for the celebration of Eid may be facilitated. Further, the Governor has sanctioned Rs 1 lakh each to designated Liaison officers for organising Eid festivities for students from J&K who are studying in other states and are unable to come to their homes on the occasion.
These steps have been taken as the telephone services have been suspended in the valley as a precautionary measure following the abrogation of Article 370 and splitting the state into two union territories.
The Governor reviewed arrangements for enabling people to offer Friday prayers and for the celebration of the festival of Eid-ul-Azha in the coming week. He was informed that to facilitate people for buying animals on the occasion of Eid, mandis will be set up at different locations in the valley and ration shops, grocery and medicine stores have been asked to remain open on this occasion.
Governor Malik, who has directed his Advisors to provide daily updates to him regarding the prevailing situation in J&K, reviewed the to-date status of law and order and provision of basic services and essential commodities to people at a meeting held at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday evening.
KK Sharma, K Skandan Advisors to Governor; BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary, briefed the Governor about their assessment of the situation and informed that overall situation is satisfactory.