Organizing a press conference in Kathmandu on Monday, the ISPAN has appealed to the government to intervene claiming that NEA is putting unnecessary pressure on them for not paying the pole rent which the power utility increased unilaterally.
According to ISPAN, NEA has snapped the internet and cable wires in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Biratnagar, Inaruwa, Kakadbhita, Gauriganj, Pokhara, Dharan, Khotang, Surkhet, Kailali, Butwal, Tikapur, Attaria, Bhairahawa, Doti, Dhankuta and Duhabi obstructing internet services in different places across the country. As NEA has intensified its action in recent days, ISPAN warned that ISPs will be unable to operate the internet service smoothly and the services are likely to get stopped at any time across the country. ISPAN President Sudhir Parajuli said that the government-owned company (NEA), through its action, is obstructing the government’s Digital Nepal Campaign. “The government’s policy of creating a Digital Nepal cannot be fulfilled without easy access to the internet. However, a state-owned entity is showing arrogance that it can obstruct the internet,” said Parajuli. “As NEA is acting unilaterally, we will not hesitate to stop the internet services. The internet can get interrupted any time,” said Parajuli. Parajuli said though two committees have been formed to resolve the pole renting issue, the dispute has not been resolved. “It has been almost 14 months since the last committee gave its report, but NEA has not taken any decision in this regard,” said Parajuli. The committee has made it clear that the burden of fare increase should not be passed on to consumers and that this increase is against the spirit of Digital Nepal. NEA has been arguing that ISPs have been using the electricity poles but haven't paid the rental charges. According to Subash Khada, CEO of ISPAN, NEA has arbitrarily increased rental charges for using electricity poles by 700 percent without any consultation with stakeholders.
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