NEW DELHI, April 28: Stung by criticism that it has taken no action against bigwigs who owe it money and prompted perhaps by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi's `blacklist' of 21 companies, Doordarshan is finally insisting that all debtors pay up.And the notices they sent to television biggies less than a week ago seem to have had the desired impact, albeit to varying degrees. Plus Channel, which has sent an instalment plan in response, has had its two programmes, Swabhiman and Business Plus, taken off the air temporarily, ``till the plan is examined'', says a Doordarshan official.United Television, the producer of Sea Hawks, replied with a cheque of Rs 8.2 crore, which is just 50 per cent of the amount it owes. Jocelyn Communications has paid 70 per cent of the sum it owes, CTV has paid part of it, and Multichannel has paid Rs 3.5 crore.As far as Nimbus is concerned, all outstanding amounts have been paid except the large chunk of Rs 6 crorethe company owes to DD. That is tied up in the arbitration case on Superhit Muqabla. Nimbus believes the countdown show was wrongfully terminated whereas DD believes it wasn't.Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited, which owes DD about Rs 16 crore, has already been de-accredited and DD is contemplating legal action against it - the corporation currently has no shows on the air. DD sources say the organisation is also considering legal action against Drishti India, film-maker Subhash Ghai's software company set up with much fanfare.Naqvi, who had demanded a report from Prasar Bharati CEO Surrindar Singh Gill on a list of 21 defaulters to DD, had said ``no new shows will be given to these people until they pay up''. ``We are so tough with farmers if they don't pay for their water or electricity. Why are we not doing anything to these big people who have usurped so much of the taxpayers' hard-earned money?'' he asked.The outstanding amounts also contributed to DD's annual revenue falling from Rs573 crore last year to Rs 490 crore this year.
