In a major setback for television cable and internet service providers, the High Court of Bombay at Goa today has refused to grant interim relief to petitioner All Goa Internet Service Providers Association pleading to direct Electricity Department not to cut internet cables from electricity poles.
The High Court has adjourned hearing for March 18.
In its writ petition, the Association requested the court to issue an interim injunction restraining the Electricity Department and its Executive Engineer from cutting or disconnecting cables that provide essential connectivity to subscribers until the final disposal of the case. They assured compliance with a request for a concession on arrears.
The All Goa Internet Service Providers, on the other hand, assured compliance with the government’s directives by 31 January. The Electricity Department has estimated a loss of about Rs 50 crore due to non-compliance with fee payments by the operators in the last 2–3 years.
The government gave TV cable and internet service providers a new 10-day deadline in a public notification released on February 3. Following that, the Executive Engineers, JEs, and AEs in charge of the jurisdiction were directed to remove all unauthorized wires and infrastructure from electrical poles.
An earlier suit by the Goa Cable TV Networking & Service Providers Association, which sought relief against the removal of illegally constructed overhead wires, was denied by the High Court on January 22.
The department calculates that association members’ failure to pay fees results in a loss of about Rs 50 crore. The operators asked for more time to move their wires and consented to pay the expenses. A public notice was issued, a new ultimatum was issued, and a deadline of February 1 was first provided. Goemkarponn