IMPHAL: Internet services in the violence-affected Northeast state of Manipur has been partially lifted.
Internet services through fibre networks have been restored in Manipur.
This lifting of fibre internet services in Manipur follows a directive of the Manipur high court that allowed restoration of internet services via ILL and FTTH.
However, mobile internet services in Manipur continues to remain suspended.
T Ranjit Singh, commissioner (Home) to the government of Manipur, in an order issued on Tuesday (July 25), stated that suspension of internet services via broadband service (ILL and FTTH) has been lifted conditionally in a liberalized manner subject to fulfilment of certain terms and conditions.
In the backdrop of reports of incidents of violence, attacks and arson of houses and premises including exchange of firing, the Manipur government issued orders to ban internet from May 3 continuously without any break till July 24, the order states.
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The state government has taken up the initiative after the Manipur high court on July 9 ordered the state authorities to lift the internet ban on Internet Lease Line (ILL) and Fiber To The Home (FTTH) connections after ensuring that all the stakeholders have complied with the safeguards suggested by a 12-member expert committee.
Justices Ahanthem Bimol Singh and Guneshwar Sharma passed the order after several public interest litigations (PILs) were filed by various parties including Airtel, Reliance, Jio, Vodafone, and BSNL seeking the restoration of internet in Manipur.
Nearly three months internet was snapped when ethnic clashes broke out between the valley-majority Meiteis and the hill-majority Kuki tribe.