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J&K being discriminated in clearance of mobile service
Jammu, July 03: In an unusual attack, a senior telecom official today alleged that Jammu and Kashmir is being discriminated by `some` Union ministries like defence on the issue of clearance for mobile telephone service in the state.
Jammu, July 03: In an unusual attack, a senior telecom official today alleged that Jammu and Kashmir is being discriminated by "some" Union ministries like defence on the issue of clearance for mobile telephone service in the state.
Attributing the discrimination to "unknown" factors, chief general manager telecom (CGMT), BSNL, J and K circle, Arun Kumar told a press conference that he failed to understand why it was being practiced against Jammu and Kashmir when such projects were cleared for sensitive border states like Punjab and Rajasthan.
He said perhaps the ministries of home and defence felt that such a facility would give fillip to militancy activities in the state.
"But, we have been telling our own ministry that there was no need for such fears in Jammu and Kashmir when such services have become operational in equally sensitive states like Punjab and Rajasthan," he said. Kumar referred to clearance of mobile service by Cabinet committee for Security (CCS) in case of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North East in August 21, 2002 and said the CCS, while giving clearance, gave powers to defence ministry for monitoring.
He said it is only after the frequency clearance by Standard Advisory Committee for Frequency Clearance (SACFA), a nodal agency of sixteen departments, that mobile service could be put on commercial use.
But, WLL service, which was launched at Jammu in January this year, was without SACFA clearance, Kumar said. When his attention was drawn to the approval of the project by Union home ministry yesterday, CGMT said that he had also heard it and has not received any official communication.
Expressing the hope that the project was given clearance at the earliest, he said it was officially to be launched by the state Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed simultaneously at Srinagar and Jammu on April 27.
However, telephonic orders were received to delay it, he said without mentioning who gave such orders.
Kumar also said that towers have already been installed in district headquarters and sixty others mobile stations, including 21 on Jammu-Kashmir highway, are being installed progressively in the state.
If implemented now, the services will first become operative in Jammu, Srinagar, Katra and Vaishnodevi by August 15, he added. Bureau Report
He said perhaps the ministries of home and defence felt that such a facility would give fillip to militancy activities in the state.
"But, we have been telling our own ministry that there was no need for such fears in Jammu and Kashmir when such services have become operational in equally sensitive states like Punjab and Rajasthan," he said. Kumar referred to clearance of mobile service by Cabinet committee for Security (CCS) in case of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North East in August 21, 2002 and said the CCS, while giving clearance, gave powers to defence ministry for monitoring.
He said it is only after the frequency clearance by Standard Advisory Committee for Frequency Clearance (SACFA), a nodal agency of sixteen departments, that mobile service could be put on commercial use.
But, WLL service, which was launched at Jammu in January this year, was without SACFA clearance, Kumar said. When his attention was drawn to the approval of the project by Union home ministry yesterday, CGMT said that he had also heard it and has not received any official communication.
Expressing the hope that the project was given clearance at the earliest, he said it was officially to be launched by the state Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed simultaneously at Srinagar and Jammu on April 27.
However, telephonic orders were received to delay it, he said without mentioning who gave such orders.
Kumar also said that towers have already been installed in district headquarters and sixty others mobile stations, including 21 on Jammu-Kashmir highway, are being installed progressively in the state.
If implemented now, the services will first become operative in Jammu, Srinagar, Katra and Vaishnodevi by August 15, he added. Bureau Report