File photo of Kashinath Shetye cutting internet cables from an electric pole at Aquem.
MARGAO
Senior Power Department official Kashinath Shetye is back in action in his war against the illegal pulling of internet cables and other infrastructure on electricity poles in the commercial capital.
Upon a complaint lodged by Shetye, the Margao Police have registered an FIR against a Porvorim-based telecommunication and internet service provider for criminally trespassing on electricity poles and illegally pulling internet cables without valid permission from the electricity department.
In his complaint, he alleged that the accused entity, on January 17, criminally conspired with their agents and employees and, in furtherance of the criminal conspiracy, with their common intentions, criminally trespassed on the electricity poles and other infrastructure of the Electricity Department and illegally pulled internet cables and other illegal infrastructure on electricity poles, without valid permission from the Electricity Department or any other authority.
He further stated that the companies pulled the cables without any survey or without obtaining a valid Stability Certificate from the Electricity Department or any other department, thereby causing a threat to human life, electricity linemen, pedestrians, vehicle drivers and Electricity Department infrastructure.
He said the action of the companies amounted to disobedience of Public Notice No. E-1/52/24-25/1412, dated February 3, 2025, promulgated by him being a public servant, with a direction to remove all the internet cables, optical fibre cables, etc., from the electricity poles.
He further stated that the internet providers have failed to pay the required fees to the Electricity Department, thereby causing loss to the Government exchequer worth crores of rupees.
The Margao Police have registered the FIR under Sections 61(2), 125, 212, 323, 324, 326, 329, 285, 290 and 292 r/w 3(5) BNS 2023.
Shetye’s complaint comes days after he descended on the ground with a cutter to cut a bunch of internet cables pulled on the electricity poles in the Aquem area of the commercial capital.
He had even questioned the inaction by the Power Department against the cables illegally pulled on the electricity poles and even wondered whether anyone had collected haftas to turn a blind eye to the illegality, with the internet providers paying no revenue to the government.
