Team Herald
PANJIM: The Electricity Department has temporarily halted its campaign to cut internet cables from electricity poles but has insisted on collecting all outstanding fees and fines from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the use of these poles over the past three years.
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Executive Engineer Kashinath Shetye explained that the Chief Electrical Engineer (CEE) of the Electricity Department raised concerns about the safety and well-being of the linesmen, which led to the decision to stop the wire-cutting operations for the time being. The initial campaign aimed to remove wires that were strung haphazardly and without proper discipline, posing potential
safety risks.
However, Shetye clarified that while ISPs have sought relief through legal channels, the Electricity Department would continue to calculate and pursue the collection of unpaid fines and poles usage fees from the ISPs. “I have asked them (ISPs) to provide a list of those using the poles. We are going to fine them for the two or three years they have been using the poles. However, they have not furnished anything to us. Neither have they submitted an affidavit of responsibility nor a list,” Shetye said.
“We have stopped cutting the wires until February 1. The CEE is concerned about the safety of the linesmen. However, no one has approached us with lists of the providers, nor asked for the stability reports of our poles. The Electricity Act is completely different from the IT Act,” he added.
Shetye made it clear that if the court grants a stay on the Department’s actions, they will not proceed with cutting the cables. However, the Chief Engineer will determine the next steps regarding the continued fines and recovery of the unpaid fees.
It should be noted that the Electricity Department’s campaign to remove the illegally strung wires on electricity poles had been launched due to concerns over the safety and stability of the poles. The action caused significant disruption, with several subscribers losing connectivity, which led ISPs to file an application in the High Court seeking to halt the operation. The Court is expected to hear the matter soon.
