Nagpur cable-operators launch indefinite strike

NAGPUR, MARCH 28: Television screens in thousands of homes in the city went blank on Monday, as cable-operators launched an indefinite str...

NAGPUR, MARCH 28: Television screens in thousands of homes in the city went blank on Monday, as cable-operators launched an indefinite strike to protest the alleged harassment by the Entertainment Tax wing of the district administration in collecting entertainment duty ED from their subscribers.

Cable-operators have decided to continue the stir until the Government agrees to their demand to rest the responsibility to collect ED from subscribers to an independent Government machinery instead of holding cable-operators responsible for it.

They alleged that the Entertainment Tax wing was harassing them unnecessarily by charging them advanced ED even though subscribers were hardly eager to pay them on time.

Cable-operators got together and marched to the Collectorate on Tuesday under the banner of Nagpur Cable Operators Association to lodge their protest. A delegation later met Collector Manu Kumar Shrivastav and held discussions with him. The delegation consisted of Subhash Bante, Ashok Kumar, Bhushan Ramteke, Ajay Khamankar, Jerome D8217;souza, Nitin Patil and Rajesh Motghare.

The delegation apprised the Collector of the difficulties being faced by them to run the business due to constant harassment from the Entertainment Tax officials. They claimed that further increase in ED has made the business unviable.

The agitating cable-operators informed that they would stop collecting ED from subscribers from April 1 if the administration does not come out with a special machinery to do the job. However, with Shrivastav expressing helplessness in taking any decision since it was a policy matter of the Government, cable-operators decided to launch strike indefinitely.

The television channels stayed offline throughout the day on Tuesday infuriating the subscribers. They were particularly agitated since the Sharjah triangular cricket series is currently on.

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When contacted, Collector Shrivastav said that the strike was illegal and termed the demands of cable-operators as unjustified. He further said that the system of collection of entertainment duty by operators from subscribers was similar to the collection of sales tax by retailers. 8220;It is a policy matter and no decision can be taken here,8221; he said.

Shrivastav said that in fact, the exposure of large undisclosed connections has perturbed cable-operators. From 11,000 connections at the beginning of the survey, the department has confirmed over a lakh cabled homes so far, he said.

The Collector pointed out that most of the cable-operators had not provided ED cards to subscribers as a receipt of entertainment duty recovered.