GUWAHATI, Oct 7 - A division bench of the Gauhati High Court, comprising Chief Justice (acting) K Sreedhar Rao (in PIL No. 88/2013), today issued notices to the American Tower Company, Bharti Infratel Limited, GTL-CNIL and Viom Network Limited � all infrastructure providers � from whom service provider Idea Mobile takes towers on rent.
The division bench further directed the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) to furnish information to the Court, by way of an affidavit, as to what is the mechanism and manpower they have to effectively supervise the efficiency and eco-friendliness of the mobile towers installed by the service and infrastructure providers all over Assam.
The affidavit has also to specify whether any periodical check-up of the mobile towers is done to ensure efficiency and eco-friendliness, the potential and capacity of each tower and the reason for frequent call drops and slow internet connectivity in the North Eastern State.
Bhaskar Dev Konwar, senior advocate who appeared for the PIL petitioner, disclosed that BSNL authorities have also been directed to file an affidavit by the division bench of the Court, stating the reasons and limitations for its purposeful and expansive growth to make it a profitable venture of the Government.
Advocates SC Keyal appeared for the Central Government and DoT, while advocates S Borah and M Hazarika appeared for the GMC and the GMDA respectively.
The case is posted for further orders on October 12.
