New Delhi, July 23: Stepping up pressure on the government to review the free-to-air package rates fixed at Rs 72, over a hundred cable operators belonging to the Cable Operators United Front (COUF) today staged a dharna demanding that the maximum rate for the basic tier, under the Conditional Access System (CAS) be raised to at least Rs 180. Accusing the government of trying to "mislead" people, COUF president Virendra Gaur said "under the existing package prescribed by the government the last mile cable operators will not be able to operate and the industry would be finished."

"We have been providing services for Rs 100-150 for the last 13 years and the government is suddenly asking us to provide services for Rs 72. This package is not financially viable," he told reporters. Asking the government to take the cable operators into confidence, he alleged the package had been fixed without the opinion of the operators being taken into consideration.

"The package was fixed to save the interests of multiple system operators and broadcasters," he said.

The front, which claimed to 25,000 operators, said it had suspended cable services from 1130 to 1430 hrs in 99 per cent of the 40 lakh cable homes it reached in the four metros. Bureau Report