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Tag: APDCL

  • GGCTOA writes to APDCL, asks to disclose electric pole data for Guwahati

    GGCTOA writes to APDCL, asks to disclose electric pole data for Guwahati

    MUMBAI: The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) and Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) still seem to be at loggerheads on the issue of the payment for the electric poles. After several meetings and deadlines, the issue remains unresolved.

     

    The issue began in September last year when APDCL asked the cable operators in Assam to pay Rs 25 per electric pole per month. The issue has just stretched since then, the last set deadline for cable operators to pay Rs 25 as electric pole fee was 22 January. It was then that GGCTOA approached the Guwahati High Court. The High Court, in the hearing held on 29 January, has asked both parties to come on a consensus by 28 February.

     

    “Let the required exercise be carried out as expeditiously as possible preferably within 28.02.2014, subject however, to the condition that petitioner shall pay the change of Rs 10 per pole for a period of one month i.e. up to 28.02.2014, which however is subject to the final outcome of the exercise required to be carried out in terms of the order and without prejudicing the rights and contentions of the parties. Needless to say that in the event of the prayer of the petitioners finds favour of APDCL authority, the said amount will be adjusted with future charge, if any, or refunded,” the Guwahati HC order reads.

     

    However, now GGCTOA has written to the APDCL and has asked to disclose the number of poles used by the cable operators. “We have written to the APDCL on 3 February and have asked them to arrange for a meeting and also give us the complete data of the number of polls used by the cable operators and amount that has to be collected, since we do not have any such data with us,” informs GGCTOA general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed. 

     

    The cable operators have also agreed to pay Rs 10 per electric pole per month in the interim. “But for that we will need the data. Also, if in this interim the APDCL can bring down the electric pole fee to Rs 10 or less, we will be happy. If it doesn’t, we will again approach the court,” adds Ahmed.

     

    According to APDCL, 31,000 electric poles in Guwahati are being used by the cable operators. “The HC expects us to settle down issues before 28 February. We will decide on that in the coming days,” says APDCL public relation officer Chandra Mudoi, informing that they have received the letter from GGCTOA and will act on it soon.

  • Assam cable ops now take APDCL to Court

    Assam cable ops now take APDCL to Court

    MUMBAI: Following failure to comply with the 22 January deadline set by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) as regards payment for usage of electric pole, the Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) representing the Assam cable operators has now approached the Guwahati High Court.  

     

    “We decided to move the High Court after talks with several state ministers and the APDCL on the issue of extending the deadline for complying with payment for electric pole usage failed. Also, we have not yet agreed to the Rs 25 per electric pole per month module as proposed by APDCL,” informed GGCTOA general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed.

     

    For long now, the GGCTOA has been demanding reduction in electric pole usage fees from Rs 25 per month to Rs 8-10 per month. Despite numerous meetings with APDCL officials and also a meeting with Assam Power Minister Pradyut Bordloi on 24 December last year, the cable operators haven’t got any respite.

     

    At the 17 December meeting between GGCTOA and APDCL, the latter had asked operators in the Guwahati Metro region to start paying Rs 25 per electric pole per month from 15 January itself. It was only later that GGCTOA bought some more time and got the deadline for compliance extended to 22 January.

     

    GGCTOA has filed the petition on 23 January and the case should be up for hearing next week. The case will be presented in the Court by advocate PK Goswami.

  • Why Assam cable operators are going on strike?

    Why Assam cable operators are going on strike?

    MUMBAI: It was in September that the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) sent out its first circular, making it mandatory for cable operators in the state to pay Rs 25 per electric pole per month, with the deadline being 7 October. However, the cable operators had requested APDCL to lower the rate as they would earn revenue from many other service providers who are using the electric poles as well.

     

    But all their efforts seem to have gone in vain as the APDCL seems unconvinced on the issue. After reviewing the request made by the operators in October, while APDCL has reserved its views on the other parts of Assam and lower Guwahati, it has asked the operators in Guwahati Metro to pay Rs 25 per electric pole every month starting 15 January.

     

    The decision which was taken in a meeting held on 17 December is set to affect more than 250 cable operators providing cable TV service in Guwahati Metro area. The operators represented by Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed were asked to file a confirmation letter accepting the fee module.

     

    However, while they didn’t follow what they were asked to, around 100 cable operators met on 19 December to discuss the issue and have decided to switch off cable TV signals today from 4 pm – 9 pm.

     

    Apparently, GGCTOA held a press conference on Sunday and made an announcement about the same.

     

    The operators in Guwahati Metro area have refused to pay Rs 25 per pole per month. “Though we have been told that the electric poles will be given exclusively to us and that we can even give it to advertisers to put up hoardings, or collect revenue from the broadband or telecom operators who are also using the pole, but this is all verbal. Nothing has been given to us in writing,” informs Ahmed.

     

    There are approximately 2.8 lakh electric poles in Guwahati Metro area, of which around 1.8 lakh poles are being used by the cable operators. The matter is currently being handled by APDCL Lower Assam division CGM commercial P. Buzarbauah. “We need a written agreement of all that has been proposed in the meeting. When we asked for it, we were asked to sign the letter first. But, how can we be sure that whatever has been said will be followed later,” he says.

     

    Also the APDCL has given no clarity on who will be collecting the money from the operators and also the advertiser who uses the electric pole to put the hoarding. GGCTOA has also requested the APDCL to directly deal with operators to collect the fee. “We had asked them to sign an agreement with each cable operator, so that they can directly be made responsible for payment or non-payment of the fee. But, the APDCL is passing the buck on to us,” informs Ahmed.

     

    “According to what the body has proposed, it is GGCTOA which will need to collect the pole fee from operators and submit it to APDCL. But how am I responsible if say of the three operators who are using the pole for laying cable wires, two pay the electric pole usage fee, while one doesn’t? So we are demanding that the APDCL signs an agreement with operators directly and not hold us responsible,” he adds.

     

    After waiting for almost two months, while decision is still pending for other regions of Assam, Guwahati Metro region cable operators are surely unhappy. “We even plan to meet Assam Industries & Commerce, Power (Electricity) and Public Enterprises minister Pradyut Bordoloi and also chief minister Tarun Gogoi in order to resolve the issue,” concludes Ahmed.

     

  • Assam cable ops face pole problems

    Assam cable ops face pole problems

    MUMBAI: As many as 40,000 cable operators in Assam await a final decision on the issue of monthly payment for using electric poles to lay cable wires.

     

    It was in September that the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) sent out its first circular, making it mandatory for cable operators in the state to pay Rs 25 per electric pole per month, with the deadline being 7 October.

     

    The APDCL notice stated that all cable wires should be removed from electric poles. It further said: “Those using poles (will have to) pay Rs 25 per pole per month for services and also comply with safety measures as notified by the board,” according to Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed.

     

    Significantly, while 80 per cent of the electric poles are used by cable operators, the remaining 20 per cent are used by telecom and broadband operators as well as the Assam police. Close to 31,000 electricity poles are being used by cable operators in Guwahati alone.

     

    Says Ahmed: “When we received the notice, even APDCL authorities were not aware of the safety guidelines that needed to be followed. Also, we were not too happy with the amount we were asked to pay. So we requested for an extension in the deadline for complying with the notice,” and added that the GGCTOA proposed holding a meeting with the APDCL chairman to present its viewpoint.

     

    Accordingly, a meeting was held on 22 October with 12 cable operators from across Assam, the APDCL chairman and other state heads.

     

    “Through the meeting, we communicated our concern over paying the Rs 25 per pole per month to APDCL. Considering that APDCL will earn revenue from many other service providers who are using the electric poles, we requested them to lower the rate. We also proposed licensing for cable operators, which will allow only those cable operators with proper documents to be given licenses to lay down cables on electric poles,” Ahmed reveals.

     

    It is learnt the Assam-based cable operators have suggested three options for payment: one – Re 1 per pole per month; two – slab system, where a cable operator will pay Rs 500 for 50 poles with an increase of Rs 300 per additional 50 poles used and three – the Meghalaya model which uses the slab system.

     

    “The process is already in place in Meghalaya for the past six years. There was an agreement between the board and cable operators to use the pole. The agreement has been so worked out that on an average – every operator pays Rs 5-6 per pole per month. Moreover, they are also being provided electricity for Rs 50,” said Ahmed.

     

    On APDCL’s part, a committee has been constituted to decide the rate. “Though we had fixed it at Rs 25 per pole per month, after the cable operators’ association applied for a revision in rate, we are now working on the final fee that they have to pay for using the electric pole,” expresses APDCL public relations officer Chandra Mudoi.

     

    Asked about the criteria that are to be used to decide the final rate, Mudoi highlighted that the effort was on to “compare the electric pole fee from other states, like Meghalaya.”

     

    But what led to the decision levying this fee on cable operators in the first place? “The cable wires strung over electric poles can cause electrical accidents. So we asked the cable operators to remove these, which they didn’t and so we asked them to pay rent. Also, other states take money from cable operators for using electric poles. And so it makes sense for us to charge them for using electric poles without any permission or even without safety measures,” elucidates Mudoi.

     

    With the committee expected to announce the new fee in the next few weeks, Mudoi is quick to point out that: “If the operators do not agree to the new rate, we will ask them to remove the cable wires from the poles.”

     

    Meanwhile, Ahmed says: “We have tried to explain to the committee that there are smaller operators whose area of business is smaller with lesser number of subscribers. And there are the bigger operators as well. The committee cannot have equal policies for both. Though currently we are in the status quo mode, we are using the electric poles like before and await the final decision.”

     

    Will their pleas be heard or will Assam Power short circuit them?