'Revert to DD to fight cable hikes'

CHANDIGARH: Can you afford to go without the regular fare of soap operas on the paid channels for at least one month ? May sound a harsh course of action, but this is exactly what you will be required to do if you want to keep a check on the frequent hikes in cable subscription in the city, says chairman of Federation of Sector Welfare Associations of Chandigarh (FOSWAC) Randhir Singh.
‘‘The cable operators have been taking advantage of the weakness of the subscribers. Resistance is the only way out,’’ he says. Singh suggests that the residents of a sector should be prepared to give up their connections and instead revert to the programmes on Doordarshan in case of a hike in cable subscription by the operator.
The cable operators are said to have established monopolies in their areas of operations with the consumer left with no alternative but to bear the frequent hikes. Singh says that the present state of affairs was also on account of the delays in implementation of the CAS. ‘‘It has been postponed time and again and in the meantime the cable operators have been indulging in frequent hikes in subscription,’’ he says.
Though varying rates were applicable in sectors across the city, residents say that at the present rate of increase, the subscription may soon cross the Rs 250 level in a majority of the sectors. (Residents are already paying between Rs 250 to Rs 300 in some of the sectors). The cable operators, however, are least amused by the course of action. ‘‘ These kind of statements have been made in the past at regular intervals, but they are of no consequence,’’ says an operator.
Operators say that instead of taking up cudgels with the cable operators, the association should focus on taking up the issue with the multi system operators. ‘‘We have to keep a watch on our costs,’’ says an operator.
The two sides, however, agree on the implementation of CAS as a solution. The system that has been delayed more than once is expected to bring in transparency in the payment structure.