TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Angered by the continued raids on hotels by agents of cable TV broadcaster, hoteliers have hit back by filing police complaints against agents for alleged acts of extortion, criminal intimidation and trespass.
The hoteliers have reacted sharply to charges of infringement of copyrights and disconnection of cable TV signals by local cable operators to their hotel.
The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa has directed all its members to file police complaints against the agents of broadcasters after one of its members in South Goa has taken the lead in doing so.
“In case the police do not register cases against the agents for extortion, the hoteliers will approach the Courts for necessary directions in the matter,” President of TTAG Francis Braganza disclosed to Herald.
The tussle between the TV broadcast agents and hoteliers began earlier this year with the former insisting that hotels in Goa should pay their dues under copyright laws for the feeds received by them.
The hoteliers on the other hand argue that they are paying monthly charges to the local cable operators from whom they receive the signals and as such no issue of copyright was involved.
“The broadcasting channel agents are now demanding huge amounts from hoteliers,” said Braganza adding that if they do not comply, agents raid hotels and connections are cut off.
While the matter was reported in the North district, earlier this month, agents have started raids in South Goa hotels as well.
The TTAG has also approached the SP South informing him that the agents were using the local police to act against hoteliers and registering offences against them without any authority and have urged the police officials to direct their personnel not to collude with the agents.
Braganza said that the TTAG has petitioned the government and the DGP on this issue and are awaiting a response so as to resolve the on-going dispute in the interest of tourism.
