News Headline
TDSAT appoints advocate commissioner to examine subscription claims of Chirala MSO
NEW DELHI: An Advocate Commissioner has been appointed by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to carry out a sample survey of the SLRs of Chirala Cable Network, which is seeking signals of Taj TV, Eenadu TV, Maa TV and Sun Distribution Services.
The Tribunal said Advocate Commissioner Tushar Singh would go on a date duly intimated to all concerned to Chirala town and its rural areas where the multi system operator (MSO) claims it has subscribers. All the parties may nominate their representative to accompany the Advocate Commissioner in course of the survey.
Singh will go to all panchayat areas named in the SLR submitted by the petitioner. In each area he will visit at least 10 houses named in the SLR and 10 houses outside the SLR to verify whether any one of them are the petitioner’s subscribers or they are taking their signals from some other MSO/LCO.
Listing the matter for 4 January, the Advocate Commissioner was asked to submit a report within three weeks and he will be paid, apart from actual expenses, an honorarium of Rs 30,000 per day.
The order came on a petition by the MSO wanting the signals of the four respondents against whom it has filed these four petitions. The petitioner is operating in Chirala town and adjoining rural areas. The controversy between the parties is mainly in regard to the petitioner’s SLR in rural areas, adjoining Chirala town.
The Tribunal noted that Chirala town falls under Phase III of the DAS regime and the rural areas adjoining it come under Phase IV. In Chirala town, the petitioner is getting Sun’s signals through A.C.T Digital.
During the proceedings, the petitioner filed two or three SLRs, which on verification by Sun are said to have been found incorrect. According to Sun, the petitioner does not have any subscriber in the rural areas around Chirala town and it is making an attempt to penetrate the rural areas on the basis of incorrect SLRs “which would make it very difficult for the broadcasters to raise their invoices.”
The Tribunal also noted that the petitioner had once again filed a fat affidavit giving its latest SLRs according to which it has 3219 subscribers of which 1138 are in Chirala town and the rest in the rural areas.
The ascertainment that the correct SLRs that should form the basis for determining the licence fee payable by the petitioner to the broadcasters is an issue of facts, which may be determined on the basis of evidences led by the parties.
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.
