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Delhi cable ops upbeat with HC order, may implement CAS by 15 Dec.
NEW DELHI: If the cable operators of Delhi have their way, then conditional access system (CAS) would be rolled out by them tomorrow.
So upbeat are they with yesterday’s Delhi high court order, quashing denotification of the Capital from the addressability map, that they conveyed today to the I&B ministry that they would go ahead with a tentative date of 15 December for implementation.
However, a government official, who met a delegation of representatives from various multi-system operators (MSOs) today, was cautious in his approach and, reportedly, told the delegation that the ministry would have to study the court order properly.
A copy of the certified court order was handed over to the official today by the enthusiastic cable industry delegation.
That the government was not exactly happy with the turn of events was clear when some officials told indiantelevision.com later this evening that the law ministry had been instructed to examine the High Court order for loopholes, if any.
Meanwhile, even if the path in Delhi seemed to have been smoothened out, Mumbai remains a thorn in the CAS crown for cable ops and the government.
“I don’t think the high court order would make any difference to the stand of the Shiv Sena on CAS in Mumbai,” party Member of Parliament Sanjay Nirupam told indiantelevision.com.
Meanwhile, when contacted, a ministry official said that it is highly unlikely that the government would go in for an appeal against the high court order. “But the court order has to be studied properly before we can spell out a future course of action,” the official added.
Still, an upbeat Zee Telefilms vice-chairman Jawahar Goel and head of Siti Cable said, “The Delhi cable ops have decided in principle to start implementing routing all pay channels through boxes from 15 December to slowly educate the cable subscriber about CAS.”
Though he indicated that the set-top boxes, needed to access pay channels, would cost a bit more (slightly over Rs. 3,000) than what they did, say, four months back, Goel said, “A final picture would emerge after another round of meeting of MSOs is held tomorrow.”
According to a senior executive of Hathway Datacom, the government also wanted to know from the cable industry about their preparedness and opinion on CAS. “We conveyed to the government the situation of boxes, especially those which are lying in godowns,” the Hathway executive added.
If the cable industry is to be believed, then all the MSOs put together, there would be about 700,000 boxes in the country.
If CAS is to be rolled out in the south zone of Delhi, as had been mandated earlier, then ideally approximately 350,000 boxes would be need if the demand is 100 per cent. But the cable ops feel that in the first six months or so, only 50 per cent of the cable homes are likely to go in for set-top boxes in the designated area in Delhi.
Those who attended today’s meeting with the I&B ministry include Ashok Mansukhani from HTMT (INCablenet), Hathway Datacom CEO K. Jayaraman and the vice-president (north) S.N. Sharma, Vittal from Sumangli, Roop Sharma, independent cable operator and Cable Network Association’s Rakesh Dutta and a representative from RPG, amongst others.
Still, what is interesting is that the Delhi cable ops and MSOs here are not clear what would be the pricing for pay channels if CAS is to be rolled out. While Goel said negotiations with broadcasters would be held over the next few days, National Cable & Telecom association president Vickky Chowdhry said that he’d go by the rates put out by pay broadcasters in July.
What happens if cable subscribers don’t go in for CAS and would still like to get all the pay channels? Emboldened by the court order, the cable ops are in no mood to give anything free.
Is this the turn of some consumer interest group to move the court? A possibility that cannot be ruled out, some resident welfare associations of South Delhi said.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
