The today’s Bangalore mirror shouts in extra large fonts:-
“Did you know you go surfing through cities sewage lines? To cut costs Internet Service Providers have routed 4000 KM of Optical Fiber Cables through the underground sewage pipe lines. The Lokayukta is investigating the matter
According to the rules, any company that intends to lay OFCs should obtain permission from the BBMP by paying a service charge of Rs 15,000 per pit (a pit is a point where the OFCs are inserted underground). Trenching is allowed up to 200 metres from the pit and it is the responsibility of the company to close the pit as well the portion of the road that has been dug up”
In an earlier report about the FKCCI meet I had attended which was reported earlier by me I had noted the following:-
Out of the total 750 mld of sewage about 350 MLD flows in storm water drains. Basically the two reasons are Gravity only mode of flow and haphazard development. Trunk Sewerage is below Storm Water drains and the environment action has spoiled them according to the chairman BDA. [If the Sewerage lines are ceramic this claim looks strange.] The BDA seems to be convinced that it was not possible to make the storm water drains free from sewage water flow. BBMP and BWSSB have taken up 32 lakes for rejuvenation. Main bottleneck is that the Sewage water is being discharged directly into the lakes. This is happening in spite of enough capacity being available for Sewage water treatment.
If the BWSSB gives excuses for using the storm drains for sewage, what is wrong in ISPs using the sewage lines for laying OFCs? Who is to question the BWSSB? BWSSB being a managed by government babus, may be not much can be expected. Can CiSTUP a new department of the premier institute of IISc, formed through a specific request of our chief minister Yediurappa take up the challenge?
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In USA the Sewage Pipes are used for OFCs
That is what I heard one of the TOI group reporters telling me when I called him up.
In USA and in several other countries the Sewage / Storm water pipes are of huge dimension running in to several feet I believe. The top portion of these pipes is used for attaching the OFCs. Several of our ministers and corporater’s who did have the opportunity for foreign jaunts might have had the opportunity of discussing these aspects, with their counter parts.
why only ISPs I wonder
Usually read Bangalore Mirror after PSA sir's posts here, so read this one too. Noted the scrutiny and focus on ISPs, who it is claimed are using BWSSB's assets without permission.
Was happy to note that local media is digging down sewerage lines to find the mis-use. But, was equally surprised to find no mention of Cable operators, whose misuse of public assets doesn't even require digging any stinking sewerage lines - just stand up anywhere in the city and watch the illegal tangle. May be the cable folks are too hard a target to attack, ISPs are not.
One is a lobby; the other, a mafia
Both are there to promote their business interests, often at the cost of the public. When exposed, the lobby generally counters through legal means, whereas the mafia does it through strong-arm tactics. The cable business being largely in the hands of the mafia, perhaps even the media is intimidated, and consequently silent.
Cable Operators Days are numbered
With higher and higher speeds of the second and third generation spectrums, the internet Protocol TV (IPTV) could perhaps spell the doom of the Cable TV, in my opinion. With my existing air tell telephone Land line connection I was offered 3G IPTV, with a constant back up of recorded weekly programs, at a competitive rate. I am tempted to do away with my cable operator.