Prohibitory orders being relaxed on assessment, I-Day rehearsals on in J&K, Ladakh

Prohibitory orders are being further relaxed across Kashmir Valley in a phased manner based on local assessment, a senior Jammu and Kashmir government official said on Tuesday.

Rohit Kansal, government spokesman and principal secretary planning, told reporters that dress rehearsals for celebrating Independence Day are being held across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

“Dress rehearsals of Independence Day are being carried out in all districts, and I hope it will be carried out in a grand and befitting manner,” he said.

Home Minister Amit Shah is set to unfurl the Indian tricolour at Lal Chowk, which separatists had not allowed anyone to do for the past decades.

On the prohibitory orders, he said that Jammu is “almost entirely free”, while restrictions do continue in parts of Kashmir based on local assessment.

“The overall policy continues to be relaxations and easing up, and we are further hopeful that once the full dress rehearsal for Independence Day, being carried out in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh concludes, there will be further relaxations,” he said.

On the concerns in some quarters over functioning of medical services, he said that “all medical services in all parts continues to be normal and unhindered” in Srinagar and all other districts of the Kashmir Valley.

He said figures from Srinagar indicate there were adequate supplies of medicines and medical equipment needed for procedures.

He added there was no dearth of facilities at hospitals and that other public utilities, including national highways, airports, power and water were functioning normally.

“The health and district administration are watching the situation,” Kansal said.

He said that the first ever Global Investment Summit would be held in Jammu and Kashmir from October 12-14, and its opening session would be held in Srinagar.

A security clampdown was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the government revoking the special status on August 5.

Restrictions were eased in Kashmir on Friday to allow people to offer Friday prayers at local mosques. Curbs were also relaxed ahead of Eid al-Adha, on Monday.

Kansal said the national highway is functioning normally and over 100 heavy vehicles, trucks carrying LPG cylinders, oil trucks and about 1,500 light motor vehicles and buses have moved over the last 24 hours.

“The flight operations are normal too,” he added.

On the anti-India matter being circulated on social media, Kansal said, “Due cognisance has been taken of all the fake handles and of any items that create disaffection, and it is being tackled at the appropriate levels legally, procedurally and through appropriate measures.”

“Whenever our attention is drawn to any fake accounts or any attempts to spread disaffection or peddle misinformation or create mischief, they are being dealt with procedurally, legally and through all available measures with the government,” he said.

He said some arrests had been made following a local assessment of the situation.