PANAJI
Had it not been for the action, albeit abrupt, the issue of unpaid arrears and the removal of cables from electricity poles would have remained unresolved.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa’s intervention -- through petitions from the aggrieved parties -- has not only pushed for a resolution but also exposed bureaucratic delays and hurdles; as well as laxity in ensuring timely fee payments from the service providers.
Cable and internet service providers have squarely blamed the government and the Electricity Department for the crisis, alleging arbitrary action, lack of communication and failure to implement policies in a structured manner.
The Goa Cable TV Networking and Service Providers Association and the All Goa Internet Service Providers Association alleged the government’s inaction on pending applications, despite their willingness to comply with regulations. They argued there was indiscriminate cutting of wires, without resolving their applications under the Goa Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2020 and other rules.
In a recent directive, the High Court ordered cable operators to pay 20 per cent of their outstanding arrears to the Electricity Department, only after which their licence for renewal applications could be considered.
The Court has also sought clarity from the association and the government regarding the total number of cable operators in the State.
In its petition, the petitioners stated that nearly 240 cable operators provide digital cable and broadband services to around 1.5 lakh television viewers and 50,000 broadband subscribers. According to government records, there are 223 cable service providers.
The association alleged that many had applied for licences under the Goa Telecom Infrastructure Policy 2020 but received no response from the Electricity Department. It alleged that a letter issued by the department on January 9, 2025, ordering the removal of all cables, had come as a shock, especially when they were willing to comply with regulations. Their request for a concession on arrears and clarity on the withdrawal of a 2015 gazette in 2021, which did not allow them to pay the required fees, remains unresolved. Another major issue allegedly caught in red-tapism is the request for reducing fees per pole from Rs 300 to Rs 100, as per the new rules.
On January 18, the All Goa Internet Service Providers Association raised similar concerns, alleging that the government’s action was not only arbitrary but also amounted to contempt of court. On February 24, the High Court declined to grant them interim relief, effectively allowing the Electricity Department to continue disconnecting unauthorised wires.
The association claimed that despite applying for Right of Way (RoW) permissions on November 22, 2023, under the National RoW Policy, their application remained pending with the Department of Information Technology. They alleged that despite their adherence to due process, the Electricity Department continued cutting fibre optic cables without proper justification.
The fate of both petitions is expected on March 2 and March 18 respectively.
