Lok Sabha Question No. 2860 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-16
Subject: Theft and Damage to Telephone Cables
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RAMA DEVI, RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2860 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 th  DECEMBER, 2015

## THEFT AND DAMAGE TO TELEPHONE CABLES

## †2860. SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI: SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY:

Will  the  Minister  of  COMMUNICATIONS  AND  INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited  (BSNL)  and  Mahanagar  Telephone Nigam  Limited  (MTNL)  has  taken  steps  to  prevent  theft  of  telephone  cables  and damage to the underground cables;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along with the cases reported for theft and damage of underground cables during the last three years and the current year;
- (c) the action taken against those involved and found doing so;
- (d) whether  the  telephones  remain  out  of  order  for  long  due  to  damage  to  the underground cables; and
- (e) if  so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto along with the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) & (b) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) have taken the following steps to prevent theft of telephone cables and damage to the underground cables:
-  Patrolling is being done along the cable route during night to minimize the cable theft.
-  Close  co-ordination  is  being  maintained  with  other  civic  agencies  and proper monitoring of digging by other agencies.
-  Cable theft alarms are provided in some areas
-  Regular meetings of BSNL and MTNL officials with police authorities are being held.
-  Police complaints are lodged immediately for investigation and preventive action.

Circle-wise  details  of  number  of  cases  of  theft  and  damage  of  underground cables reported during the last three years and the current year by BSNL and MTNL are given in Annexure .

- (c) First  Information  Reports  (FIRs)  are  being  lodged  by  BSNL  and  MTNL  as  and when the cable theft incidence comes into notice.
- (d) & (e) Immediate  action  is  initiated  for  the  restoration  of  services  and  sincere efforts are made by BSNL and MTNL to rectify the cable fault at the earliest.  BSNL has also  reported  that  Wireless  in  Local  Loop  (WLL)/Fixed  Wireless  Terminal  (FWT)  is offered  in  case  telephone  remains  out  of  order  for  long  period  due  to  damage  to  the underground cable.

Contd………2/-

## Annexure

Circle-wise details of number of cases of theft and damage of underground cables reported during the last three years and the current year by BSNL and MTNL

| Sr. No   | Name of the Circle                                   | 2012-13   | 2013-14   | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2015-16   |      |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|------|
| 1        | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR                                    | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 29        |      |
| 2        | ANDHRA PRADESH                                       | 44        | 30        | 30        | 89        | 72        |      |
| 3        | ASSAM                                                | 153       | 146       | 146       | 171       | 106       |      |
| 4        | BIHAR                                                | 885       | 824       | 824       | 626       | 254       |      |
| 5        | CHHATTISGARH                                         | 204       | 334       | 334       | 359       | 105       |      |
| 6        | GUJARAT                                              | 4686      | 4355      | 4355      | 6066      | 3705      |      |
| 7        | HARYANA                                              | 251       | 356       | 356       | 362       | 370       |      |
| 8        | HIMACHAL PRADESH                                     | 1134      | 813       | 813       | 801       | 521       |      |
| 9        | JAMMU & KASHMIR                                      | 38        | 19        | 19        | 76        | 43        |      |
| 10       | JHARKHAND                                            | 27        | 22        | 22        | 20        | 0         |      |
| 11       | KARNATAKA                                            | 2759      | 2666      | 2666      | 1941      | 59        |      |
| 12       | KERALA                                               | 279       | 702       | 702       | 213       | 445       |      |
| 13       | MADHYA PRADESH                                       | 66        | 29        | 29        | 20        | 39        |      |
|          | MAHARASHTRA                                          | 254       | 289       | 289       | 216       | 246       |      |
| 15       | NORTH-EAST-I (Meghalaya,Mizoram,Tripura)             | 43        | 21        | 21        | 9         | 91        |      |
| 16       | NORTH-EAST-II (Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh) | 64        | 55        | 55        | 43        | 207       |      |
| 17       | ORISSA                                               | 42        | 32        | 32        | 26        | 28        |      |
| 18       | PUNJAB                                               | 212       | 101       | 101       | 382       | 514       |      |
| 19       | RAJASTHAN                                            | 514       | 729       | 729       | 559       | 587       |      |
| 20       | TAMIL NADU                                           | 30218     | 33004     | 33004     | 29299     | 32145     |      |
| 21       | UTTRANCHAL                                           | 21        | 28        | 28        | 37        | 61        |      |
| 22       | UTTAR PRADESH -E                                     | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         | 0         |      |
| 23       | UTTAR PRADESH -W                                     | 0         | 77        | 77        | 0         | 0         |      |
| 24       | WEST BENGAL                                          | 8         | 6         | 6         | 1         | 0         |      |
| 25       | KOLKATA Tephones                                     | 550       | 558       | 558       | 533       | 215       |      |
| 26       | CHENNAI Telecom Dist.                                | 13713     | 14184     | 14184     | 15617     | 10679     |      |
| MTNL     | MTNL                                                 | MTNL      | MTNL      | MTNL      | MTNL      | MTNL      | MTNL |
| 1.       | Delhi                                                | 10631     | 8785      | 8022      | 8022      | 5711      |      |
| 2.       | Mumbai                                               | 10570     | 10628     | 12527     | 12527     | 7105      |      |

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