MUMBAI: Following failure to comply with the 22 January deadline set by the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) as regards payment for usage of electric pole, the Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) representing the Assam cable operators has now approached the Guwahati High Court.  

“We decided to move the High Court after talks with several state ministers and the APDCL on the issue of extending the deadline for complying with payment for electric pole usage failed. Also, we have not yet agreed to the Rs 25 per electric pole per month module as proposed by APDCL,” informed GGCTOA general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed.

For long now, the GGCTOA has been demanding reduction in electric pole usage fees from Rs 25 per month to Rs 8-10 per month. Despite numerous meetings with APDCL officials and also a meeting with Assam Power Minister Pradyut Bordloi on 24 December last year, the cable operators haven’t got any respite.

At the 17 December meeting between GGCTOA and APDCL, the latter had asked operators in the Guwahati Metro region to start paying Rs 25 per electric pole per month from 15 January itself. It was only later that GGCTOA bought some more time and got the deadline for compliance extended to 22 January.

GGCTOA has filed the petition on 23 January and the case should be up for hearing next week. The case will be presented in the Court by advocate PK Goswami.