One lakh to face
TV blackout in 3 metros from next week
Himanshi Dhawan TNN
New Delhi: Kolkata residents, who are yet to switch to digital set top boxes (STBs), can expect blank screens after the weekend. The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry plans to begin phased blackout in Kolkata to ensure that viewers switch to digital TV over the next few days. The decision comes in the wake of strong protests from West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee exhorting residents not to buy STBs.
An estimated one lakh people could face a blackout in the three metros of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata over the next few days.
A day after the digitization deadline kicked in four metros, Delhi and Mumbai reported over 100% shift to digital systems, while Chennai has sought a two-month extension (up to December 31) for completing switchover from analog to digital mode. According to ministry data, digitization in Delhi has gone up to 101%, Mumbai (118%), Kolkata (85%) and Chennai (63%).
About 1.3 lakh STBs were installed in Delhi on October 31 taking the total number installed in the three cities — Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata — to 1.43 lakh. Installation in Chennai has been stayed following the Madras High Court order. The ministry has been on a goslow in Kolkata, and is likely to crack down on multi-system operators (MSOs) soon.
I&B secretary Uday Kumar Varma said that a threepronged strategy had been adopted to ease switchover. `MSOs have been told to keep prices of STBs stable and not to exploit the situation especially since there are reports of shortage of STBs,’’ he said. The ministry has also asked MSOs to make special efforts to reach out to poorer sections with concessional packages.
The I&B secretary also said teams from the ministry were busy making inspections at the ground level.
Courtesy - Times of India,Chennai