Amid curfew, schools to re-open in 4 districts of J&K

The Jammu and Kashmir government has declared that schools in four districts in the turmoil-hit state will reopen on 21 July.

Despite the curfew, the state authorities have decided that the ongoing violence in the state should no longer come in the way of education.

An order issued by Shaleen Kabra, the Commissioner-Secretary of the Education Department, reads as follows: "In partial modification to the orders in regard to summer vacation, it has been decided that the schools in the districts of Baramulla, Bandipora, Budgam and Ganderbal as well as winter Zone of Jammu Division will reopen on 21 July 2016".

This order will be applicable to schools in four of the ten districts in the Valley. However, there has been no mention of schools reopening in the remaining six districts. Vacations in Valley schools had been initially extended to 25 July in view of the current law and order situation.

The strike call by separatists in the Valley will continue till 25 July.

Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Jammu (CCIJ) has made demands for immediate restoration of mobile internet services in the state, which had been suspended through the course of the curfew that was put in place in the valley, in view of the protests that were sparked in the wake of Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani's death on 8 July.