NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and BSNL on NGO Telecom Watchdog’s petition alleging a scam in the resolution to deploy outdated 2G products and services in Arunachal Pradesh and two Assam districts at eight times the actual value.
Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta issued notices to the telecom department and BSNL after petitioner’s suggest Prashant Bhushan stated cash collected from public sale of cancelled 2G spectrum licences have been being misused and the government used to be deviating from its ‘Digital North East 2022’ coverage.
He stated despite the fact that the 2G mobile phone tower prices Rs 11 lakh, the contract used to be awarded by BSNL to non-public events at Rs 80 lakh consistent with tower.
The petitioner sought quashing of the January 16, 2018, settlement between DoT and BSNL, which mandated use of outdated 2G technology purchased at a value of Rs 2,258 crore from two non-public companies “with mala fide intention”. In the opposite, it sought amending of the settlement to include 4G products and services for Arunachal Pradesh besides Assam’s Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.
The writ petition by Telecom Watchdog used to be earlier dismissed by the Delhi prime courtroom. In its enchantment towards the HC order before the SC, the petitioner stated as consistent with the Indian Telegraphy Act, the government is obliged to supply all kinds of telegraphy products and services at affordable charges to the rural and unconnected spaces. For this, a separate Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund is in operation since 2002, which as on June 30, 2018, had Rs 48,393 crore of unspent quantity. It cautioned towards its use for deployment of outdated technology.
Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta issued notices to the telecom department and BSNL after petitioner’s suggest Prashant Bhushan stated cash collected from public sale of cancelled 2G spectrum licences have been being misused and the government used to be deviating from its ‘Digital North East 2022’ coverage.
He stated despite the fact that the 2G mobile phone tower prices Rs 11 lakh, the contract used to be awarded by BSNL to non-public events at Rs 80 lakh consistent with tower.
The petitioner sought quashing of the January 16, 2018, settlement between DoT and BSNL, which mandated use of outdated 2G technology purchased at a value of Rs 2,258 crore from two non-public companies “with mala fide intention”. In the opposite, it sought amending of the settlement to include 4G products and services for Arunachal Pradesh besides Assam’s Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.
The writ petition by Telecom Watchdog used to be earlier dismissed by the Delhi prime courtroom. In its enchantment towards the HC order before the SC, the petitioner stated as consistent with the Indian Telegraphy Act, the government is obliged to supply all kinds of telegraphy products and services at affordable charges to the rural and unconnected spaces. For this, a separate Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund is in operation since 2002, which as on June 30, 2018, had Rs 48,393 crore of unspent quantity. It cautioned towards its use for deployment of outdated technology.
‘2G scam in North East, 11 lakh towers to cost 80 lakh’
![‘2G scam in North East, 11 lakh towers to cost 80 lakh’]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
October 09, 2018
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