Self-proclaimed unions threaten to disrupt Bihar, Jharkhand telecom network, DIPA

Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA) an apex representative body of digital infrastructure providers in India have sought the intervention of Jharkhand and Bihar governments on the grounds that a “self-proclaimed” union has illegally threatened to disrupt telecom services in respective states if their monetary terms are not fulfilled.

DIPA members include Indus Towers, American Tower Corporation, Summit Digitel (Reliance Jio Infratel), Tower Vision are working towards the fulfilment of the vision of “GREEN TELECOM” as envisaged in the telecom policy by reducing their dependency on diesel to run their sites in Jharkhand and Bihar. However, the reduction of diesel has not gone well with the Union, and they are threatening coercive actions if the supply of Diesel is curtailed even by a litre.

According to T.R.Dua, Director-general, Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA),” A self-proclaimed union has extended an illegal threat to disrupt telecom services across in both the States-Bihar and Jharkhand if their alleged illegal demands specifically regarding monetary benefits are not fulfilled. We have requested Chief Secretary of Jharkhand, Sukhdeo Singh and Chief Secretary of Bihar, Amir Subhani for their urgent intervention in issuing necessary directions to all concerned authorities in all the districts to ensure uninterrupted telecom connectivity and the safety of telecom employee.”

The telecom infrastructure providers have approached the law enforcement agencies and police officials for the support, complaints have been logged but no action has been initiated against the miscreants yet and the telecom towers were shut down by the unions.

Dua further added,” Our telecom field engineers and their families have also received threat to their life. Further, we have serious apprehensions that can draw from the actions of unions on the ground, and that there is a serious and tangible threat of mass disruption at the telecom towers of our members in coming days which will cause severe outage and disruption of telecom services in Bihar and Jharkhand and badly impact the network of BSNL, Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Reliance.”

DIPA have requested urgent intervention and issue necessary directions to all the concern authorities per se Superintend of Police, District Magistrate in all the districts to ensure:

• The telecom and its related services remain unaffected and the health and safety of our members, their employees, officers, agents, partners are secured.
• The union or any of its members and or associates do not cause any disruption / loss to the telecom infrastructure and /or disrupt the telecom services.

CT Bureau