Kashmir digital cable operators serve legal notice to TRAI.

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag ,October 19: Digital cable operators in Kashmir have served a legal notice to TELECOM REGULATARY AUTHORITY OF INDIA (TRAI) for not taking any action against the violators who are not following TRAI regulations and the guidelines issued by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

A copy of legal notice lying with Arising State office in which the Digital cable operators mentioned that some TV cable network operators who were earlier providing cable TV services to the consumers before digitalization are still providing the consumers services despite the cancellation of their registration which is illegal and unauthorized and is in violation of TRAI regulations and the guidelines issued by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is a statutory body set up by the Government of India under section 3 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. It is the regulator of the telecommunications sector in India. It was established on 20 February 1997 by an Act of Parliament to regulate telecom services and tariffs in India.

The notice served to TRAI on behalf of Digital Cable service Providers/ such as star digital cable network Anantnag, Satellite communication Achabal Anantnag, Network Pahalgam and others in Kashmir.

According to legal notice the digital service providers/ operators is fully digitalized as per MIB order and is paying GST @ 18% per connection whereas black listed and illegal TV cable network do not pay any heed to make their Network fully digital or  pay any GST .

According to notice from last three years online complaints have been made to different office’s by the complainant but not a single  grievance has been redressed till date either by TRAI or district level monitoring committees against the violators.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had issued a list on 31- 10-2017 of multisystem operators whose registration to operate in digital addressable system has been cancelled or their cases have been closed. That the list includes 78 TV cable service network providers out of which many TV cable operators in the state of Jammu and Kashmir especially in Anantnag District are still providing the services illegally and unauthorizedly and putting those Digital cable operators at loss who are following the norms and guidelines issued by the TRAI and by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The complainant has reported this fact to the district level monitoring committee as well as the state level monitoring committee, but no action has been taken by the said committees till date so far legal notice reveals.