Drones and similar unmanned aerial vehicles are prohibited from being stored, sold, possessed, used, or transported within the Srinagar district’s territorial jurisdiction.
District magistrate Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz, said in an order, that in order to secure the aerial space near vital installations and densely populated areas, it is imperative to stop using drones in all social and cultural gatherings to eliminate any risk of injury to life and property damage.
According to the order, which was issued under section 144 of the Cr. P.C., decentralised airspace access must be regulated in light of recent incidents of drone misuse posing a threat to security infrastructure, as reported by the media and other reliable sources.
The order states that the “Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has provided draught guidelines/Standard operating protocol to regulate the use of drones in terms of weight classification, generation of Unique Identification Number, Height / Altitude restrictions, Speed restrictions, Enforcement / Panel action, and so on.”
“Given the security situation, it is extremely dangerous to allow unmanned aerial vehicles to roam freely in the skies within the territorial jurisdiction of District Srinagar,” the order states.
The order also stated that anyone who already has drone cameras or other similar Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in their possession must register them with the local police station.
“Moreover, before engaging in any such activity in the public interest, government departments using drones for mapping, surveys, and surveillance in the agricultural, environmental conservation, and disaster mitigation sectors shall notify the local police station,” it reads.
According to the order, any violation of the order will result in punitive action as required by applicable laws.
The DC Srinagar has also asked the Senior Superintendent of Police in Srinagar to ensure that the order is carried out in its entirety.
The Chenab Times News Desk