Over two and half months after tourists were asked to leave Kashmir valley due to terror threat, Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday night directed the withdrawal of the security advisory in yet another sign of easing of the situation in the region. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik directed lifting of the advisory with effect from October 10 (Thursday).
The advisory asking the tourists to leave was issued on August 2, three days before the issuance of the presidential order revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, scrapping the Article 370 of the Constitution. The Governor directed that the Home Department's advisory asking tourists to leave the valley be lifted immediately. This will be done with effect from October 10, the spokesman said. Malik issued the directive for lifting the security advisory for tourists at a "situation-cum-security review' meeting with the advisors and the chief secretary here, an official spokesman said late on Monday evening.
The Governor has been holding situation-cum-security review meetings daily for two hours generally from 6 to 8 pm since August 5. Jammu and Kashmir is no longer a state, a status it has enjoyed for 70 years, but a federally-ruled territory. He said the Governor was also informed that as Block Development Council (BDC) elections, scheduled to be held on October 24, are party-based, the delegations of parties having their leaders in jail are being allowed to meet party presidents once so that they can take decision on elections and authorize someone to approve candidates.
In the last six weeks, the spokesman said, all security restrictions were withdrawn in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir and the Governor has been focusing on bringing life back to normal. Some of the major decisions taken in the past in the situation-cum-security review meetings include reopening of higher secondary schools, colleges and universities, restarting public transport and opening of additional travel counters at Srinagar's Tourist Reception Centre, the spokesman said.
The decisions also included opening of 25 internet kiosks in each district to facilitate the public and government departments and monitoring attendance in government offices, he added. The spokesman said all assistant returning officers and assistant electoral registration officer have been provided mobile phone facility to ensure smooth conduct of BDC elections.
