echarcha
August 23rd, 2000, 12:50 PM
MUMBAI: Mumbaikars got a feel of a real blackout on their TV screens on Tuesday when cable operators resorted to a two-day strike to protest against the Maharashtra government's decision to hike entertainment tax from Rs 15 to Rs 30 per household.
The government had been charging entertainment tax on common antenna television (CATV) since 1992, which cable operators were paying from their own pockets. Earlier the government had levied Rs 15 per month in municipal and cantonment areas, Rs 10 and Rs 5 in A and B class municipality areas per cable tv connection. But from April this year, the government had hiked the amounts by 100 per cent.
While the blackout was total in Mumbai and its suburbs, the rest of Maharashtra including areas like Nagpur, Nasik and Pune were partially affected. Several operators also displayed messages on their systems that for two days there would not be any relay of programmes because of the decision of the state government.
``We have already given a memo to the chief minister earlier. Since nothing has come out of it, we are planning to present another notice outlining our demands,'' said Atul Saraf, president of the Cable Operators' of Mumbai Association (COMA). Incidentally, a joint meeting was held by the cable operators in Khar on Tuesday evening.
While there have been divisions among the cable TV industry on earlier occasions, they have remained united so far on this ground. As Jagjit Singh Kohli, director, WinCable, put it, ``We are all supporting this issue because it involves a common agenda. Through this protest, we hope to draw the government's attention.''
Ram Hingorani, CEO of In Network, provided another angle to the issue. ``We have no objection to the government charging us entertainment taxes. But please do not ask the cable operators to become bill collectors,'' he pleaded. He said the collection of tax money from the households should be handled by the government itself and not through the individual cable operator.
Meanwhile, the consumer guidance society of India (CGSI) has denounced this move of the operators. ``This is a sort of blackmailing on the part of the cable operators. How can they go scot-free when all other industries are paying taxes to the government?'' questioned Anand Patwardhan from the CGSI.
He added that the entire cable operation system should be regularised so that such instances are averted in the future.
Taken from : http://www.timesofindia.com/today/23mbom2.htm
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O My God! Imagine all the viewers of Kaun Banega Crorepati getting withdrawal symptoms ;) and all the hosuewives going crazy due to lack of daily dose of soap operas! :)
[Edited by echarcha on 08-23-2000 at 03:59 PM]
The government had been charging entertainment tax on common antenna television (CATV) since 1992, which cable operators were paying from their own pockets. Earlier the government had levied Rs 15 per month in municipal and cantonment areas, Rs 10 and Rs 5 in A and B class municipality areas per cable tv connection. But from April this year, the government had hiked the amounts by 100 per cent.
While the blackout was total in Mumbai and its suburbs, the rest of Maharashtra including areas like Nagpur, Nasik and Pune were partially affected. Several operators also displayed messages on their systems that for two days there would not be any relay of programmes because of the decision of the state government.
``We have already given a memo to the chief minister earlier. Since nothing has come out of it, we are planning to present another notice outlining our demands,'' said Atul Saraf, president of the Cable Operators' of Mumbai Association (COMA). Incidentally, a joint meeting was held by the cable operators in Khar on Tuesday evening.
While there have been divisions among the cable TV industry on earlier occasions, they have remained united so far on this ground. As Jagjit Singh Kohli, director, WinCable, put it, ``We are all supporting this issue because it involves a common agenda. Through this protest, we hope to draw the government's attention.''
Ram Hingorani, CEO of In Network, provided another angle to the issue. ``We have no objection to the government charging us entertainment taxes. But please do not ask the cable operators to become bill collectors,'' he pleaded. He said the collection of tax money from the households should be handled by the government itself and not through the individual cable operator.
Meanwhile, the consumer guidance society of India (CGSI) has denounced this move of the operators. ``This is a sort of blackmailing on the part of the cable operators. How can they go scot-free when all other industries are paying taxes to the government?'' questioned Anand Patwardhan from the CGSI.
He added that the entire cable operation system should be regularised so that such instances are averted in the future.
Taken from : http://www.timesofindia.com/today/23mbom2.htm
------------
O My God! Imagine all the viewers of Kaun Banega Crorepati getting withdrawal symptoms ;) and all the hosuewives going crazy due to lack of daily dose of soap operas! :)
[Edited by echarcha on 08-23-2000 at 03:59 PM]