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Shutdown continues to hit life in Kashmir on Day 66

MAJID NABI. Dated: 10/10/2019 4:40:51 AM

SRINAGAR, Oct 9: Normal life across Kashmir remained affected due to shutdown which entered into 66th day today amid thin attendance of students on the first day of opening of colleges and universities.
As the administration ordered opening of all colleges and universities across Kashmir recently, students choose to stay away from classes even as elaborate security arrangements were made around all educational institutions in Srinagar and elsewhere to maintain law and order.
In Srinagar, most of the colleges recorded zero percent attendance of students while as the teachers and other staff was present as per instructions. Reports said a handful of students dressed in casuals at Women’s College Srinagar collected assignments and left instantly.
Sri Pratap College or S.P. College which is also located at Maulana Azad Road recorded zero percent attendance of students on the first day of opening of colleges and universities. A CRPF bunker was constructed recently outside college premises to prevent students from holding protests.
Similarly other colleges in Srinagar city including Gandhi Memorial College, Government College for Women’s Nawakadal and Government Degree College Bemina were deserted as the students preferred to skip classes given the prevailing uncertainty in restive valley after August 5 decision on Jammu and Kashmir.
Reports reaching here said that colleges and universities at other district headquarters also recorded low or zero percent attendance of students after more than two month break.
“We came to college this morning to collect study material only else our parents do not allow us to move out. Communication system has been snapped everywhere, public transport is off the roads how is it possible for us to join colleges,” said a girl student who study in Women’s College here.
Reports said attendance of students at Amar Singh College, Gogji Bagh was also recorded low while Kashmir University wherein authorities had deployed additional companies of police and paramilitary forces to avoid any uncertainty was deserted.
Meanwhile, business activities continued to remain suspended across Kashmir and public transport was off the roads; however thin movement of private vehicles was witnessed on city roads amid communication blackout on day 66.
Communication system which was suspended few hours before abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, continued to remain snapped across Kashmir.
Attendance of students also remained low or zero in schools which were declared open up to high school level by the district administration. Government offices also witnessed thin attendance of employees who could not make it to their respective workplaces due to non-availability of public transport.
Government of India abrogated special status of Jammu and Kashmir after a bill scrapping provisions of Article 370 was passed in the Parliament on August 5.
Reports reaching from other parts of the valley suggested that spontaneous shutdown affected normal life in north, south and central Kashmir districts with markets closed and public transport suspended.