[mmadhankumar]

Most living rooms across the state may sink into an eerie silence with about 2,400 cable operators in Odisha threatening to go on strike from Monday. Protesting the new tender process and terms and conditions prescribed by the Central Electricity Supply Utility ( CESU), the cable operators have decided to stage a dharna from Monday.

"The new tender process is arbitrary and biased and has been made for big players and multi-system operators (MSO). It has been planned in a manner so as to sabotage small cable operators and their livelihood in order to protect big operators," alleged Pramod Nanda, a cable operator.

According to Orissa Cable Association, the department of energy had framed guidelines for laying cable networks for TV operation in 2001 and has been amending it from time to time to ensure a level playing field for all cable operators. But the latest guideline issued on March 3, 2012, has mentioned that in a particular area only three MSOs can operate, each of them having one local cable operator under them, whom the MSOs may discard anytime, the association members pointed out.

"The new guideline is also giving all power and right to MSOs, as a result of which local cable operators will not have any option left but to close their business. There are hundreds of small cable operators who are earning their livelihood from this business but due to this new guideline they may have to fold up their operations," said K Seshadeva, a member of the association.

Cable operators demanded that each cable operator, small or big, must be given 'right of way' so that even without taking the help of the MSO they can run their business. They also demanded regularization of local and small cable operators.

"We are hopeful that the state government will take necessary steps to bring the amendment in the rules in the next couple of days or else we will be forced to switch off the service," Seshadeva said.

TOI