Members of Tamilaga Cable TV Operators’ Welfare Association submitted a petition to officials at the Collectorate here stating that the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation should revise its subscription fees and help them.
In the petition, the members had stated that with the meagre subscription of Rs.70 a month paid by each household, they could not meet the high electricity cost and other overheads. “The minimum subscription fee should be at least Rs.120 to protect our livelihood,” said P. Murugan, one of the members.
It was stated in the petition that the Tamil Nade Arasu Cable TV Corporation should form State and district-level advisory committees and include them as members. “This will help us coordinate in a better way with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), help in the smooth functioning of the cable TV operations and bring in increased revenue to the State,” the petition said.
Pointing out that cable TV operators in rural areas were forced to work round-the-clock, the welfare association called for additional benefits such as life insurance and accident cover for them. “To facilitate procurement of advanced gadgets, government schemes should be formulated with facility to raise bank loans,” they added.
RamanathapuramMembers of the Ramanthapuram branch of the association submitted a similar petition to officials of the district administration. The members, led by district secretary P. Ramanathan, said there was an immediate need to address the crisis gripping the cable TV operators and help them improve their livelihood.