On Tuesday, an unanticipated crisis unfolded in Goa, causing immense disruption not only to individuals but to the state’s entire economic fabric.
The Goa Electricity Department undertook drastic measures to disconnect the Internet and television cables of major service providers, leaving businesses, hospitals, educational institutions, and media houses scrambling for connectivity.
The action was initiated under the pretext of safety concerns regarding illegally placed fibre optic cables strung along electricity poles.
The All Goa Internet Service Providers Association, representing internet service providers, had recently escalated a case to the Bombay High Court in Goa, appealing for a halt to these disconnections until a hearing could take place on March 18.
However, the department’s decision to proceed without waiting for this court date raises serious questions about the balance between regulatory enforcement and the operational stability of essential services.
Such abrupt measures have catastrophic implications for a wide array of sectors. Hospitals, including those that render critical care services, suddenly found their communications efficiently severed, potentially jeopardizing patient care and emergency response efforts.
Educational institutions were left without internet access, disrupting classes and impacting the learning experience for countless students. Businesses, ranging from retail to hospitality, also suffered significant losses as their ability to conduct transactions and communicate with clients was hampered.
The scale of the disruption was alarming; it affected not only major private players like Airtel, Jio, and Ethernet Express but also the essential state-run Goa Broadband Network, which connects areas across the state.
This broad spectrum of impact underscores a crucial issue: the need for governmental actions to consider the far-reaching consequences they may have on ongoing economic activities.
At the crux of the issue lies the realization that arbitrary punitive measures undermining business operations are both counterproductive and detrimental to the economy. While the Goa Electricity Department has cited safety violations and non-payment of license fees as reasons for these actions, the ripple effects can be damaging. Local businesses, already grappling with various challenges from the pandemic and global economic fluctuations, have incurred further losses—potentially running into crores—in revenues due to disrupted operations.
The economic impact of such disconnections could be substantial, hampering the state’s recovery as it seeks to regain momentum.
Rather than resorting to drastic measures that jeopardize livelihoods, it’s vital for the government to pursue alternate pathways.
There are more productive means to ensure regulatory compliance without disrupting the economic landscape. For instance, imposing penalties on businesses for violations or facilitating the alignment of service providers with safety regulations could address the issue without resorting to cutting off services that many rely on daily.
The need of the hour is for the government to act with a sense of responsibility towards maintaining the equilibrium between regulation and operational viability. Ensuring that businesses can thrive while adhering to statutory requirements is crucial for sustaining Goa’s economic health.
The disruption provoked by the Goa Electricity Department serves as a clarion call to rethink strategies that could facilitate order while also nurturing a conducive environment for businesses to flourish. Now more than ever, swift action is needed to prevent personal scores from overshadowing collective progress.
