| While addressing a press conference at the
BJP headquarters in Mumbai, Somaiya alleged that the governments (state
and central) have failed to protect the consumer interest and allowed
broadcasters and pay channels to arbitrarily increase pay channel
charges. He says that the broadcasters have hiked rates tremendously
within the past year.
Somaiya stated that the various departments of the state government
had not initiated action against the errant cable operators and
MSOs who collected money from the consumers but failed to deposit
the same in the government kitty.
"More than 50 per cent of TV sets in Mumbai are capable of
showing only 10 channels but the unscrupulous cable operators and
MSOs collect the entire amount for 60 plus channels," said
Somaiya.
Somaiya added that cable ops and the MSOs didn't provide technology
which would enable people to view what they desired. He however
added that the conditional access system which is to be implemented
by July 2003 under a government order would address these issues.
Somaiya also disclosed that one of the petitions made in this PIL
would urge the state government to ensure that the entertainment
tax is levied on a pro-rata basis. "Why should black and white
TV owners give the same tax as those who have sophisticated TV sets
for watching 100 channels," asks Somaiya.
Somaiya has cautioned consumers against paying cable operators
in advance for a year's subscription.
"It is possible that some of these cable operators will not
even exist post conditional access system's implementation,"
says Somaiya.
Also read
BJP MP Kirit Somaiya to
file criminal case against TV trade
Mumbai cable ops present
memo to Star, Sony
Mumbai's small cable ops
raise cudgels against MSOs, pay channels
|
