the goan I network
MARGAO
With the Margao Municipal Council cracking a whip against overhead cables in the commercial capital, beleaguered cable operators came rushing to the municipal building seeking three months time to make alternate arrangements to lay the cables.
While the delegation of cable operators could not meet Chief Officer Siddhivinayak Naik, the cable operators under the banner of Cable Operators Association entered a petition in the civic body with a plea to withdraw/revoke the public notice issued by the municipality.
The cable operators maintained that they do not wish to cause any nuisance to the public while providing cable connections, saying the cable operations can be streamlined by furnishing a single duct to lay the fiber optic cables.
In the alternative, they insisted that one fiber optic cable may be installed by different operators and suggested that a common cable for all the agencies running overhead or via an underground duct be allowed.
Cable operators Atul Verlekar, Durgadas Prabhu and John Gonsalves said the cable operators are always willing and ready to maintain cleanliness and beautification of the city in whatever way called upon to do so.
They said that any drastic action taken by the MMC will cause immense hardships to the public, who subscribe to the networks, depriving the people of knowledge, information, entertainment etc if the cables are
cut off.
“Immense hardships will be caused to the public which will be beyond compensation. We have taken care while laying out the cables and have been in no way responsible for causing nuisance to the public,” they argued.
When the media questioned whether the cable operators are authorized to conduct the business, they pointed out that the cable operators are duly registered with the Post Master of the Post Office and have duly compiled with all the rules for the cable operation carried out in the city.
“The cable operators have no other business or occupation except providing services through their cable network. The families of the cable operators are dependent on the income earned by providing cable services,” they said in the representation submitted to the civic body.
When The Goan contacted MMC CO Siddhivinayak Naik, he said he has gone through the memorandum submitted by the operators.
“The civic body had initiated the action after issuing a public notice. Our drive against the overhead cables will continue,” Naik added.
