Home Ministry imposes fine on various telecom operators for illegal activities
merisarkar news service New Delhi March 21, 2011
Stringent action against Telcos
The government has imposed fines worth 700 crore rupees on various telecom operators for carrying out illegal activities in their services.
A Home Ministry report said, fine was imposed on defaulting entities which did not comply with government orders despite repeated warnings that 100 per cent verification of each and every subscriber was absolutely necessary for interests of the country's security.
There have been several instances in the past where terrorists used mobile phone connections, which were issued without verification, to carry out terror acts in India.
The penalty was imposed by Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring (TERM) Cells till January this year.
The Centre had in the past suspended operations of pre-paid mobile connections in Jammu and Kashmir because of non compliance of address verification of pre paid subscribers.
Cellular services to nearly 38 million pre-paid cell phone subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir, who comprise 60 per cent of total clientele in the state, was restored only after seven telecom operators - Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Idea Cellular, Aircel, Tata Teleservices, Reliance Communications and state-run BSNL promised full compliance with the verification process.
