Smart Telecom victims have reached out to the communication minister, Jagdish Kharel, to seek facilitation regarding the overdue payments. On Friday, November 28, the house owners (for tower installations), employees, recharge card sellers, etc., requested the minister to make an effort to clear the dues.
This meeting follows the stage-in protests of Smart Telecom victims earlier this year, where they demanded payment clearance from the government.
Minister Kharel assures Smart Telecom victims regarding dues payment
After the meet-up, Minister Kharel gave his assurance that no party shall be subjected to injustice. He stated, “We won’t allow injustice to anyone. We will take the initiative to identify solutions by understanding the regulatory body. We will make decisions that will provide some relief.”
Krishna Bahadur Thapa, coordinator of the Smart Telecom Tower Victims’ Struggle Committee, complained that the problem has not been resolved even after a long time since the company was invalidated. “Even after three years since the license revocation of Smart Telecom, the company’s towers have not been managed. The houseowners have not received rent, nor has the electricity bill for the tower been collected,” Thapa said. He demanded that it be clear how their problems will be addressed in the context of the government forming a property valuation committee, and that the management of the towers lying idle in homes should be immediate.
The struggle committee also pointed out that the closure of Smart Cell also led to the loss of employment for thousands and the huge investments of businesses. It also said that distributors who invested in Smart recharge cards and SIM cards have also borne losses. They are still having to pay interest to the bank, but haven’t received their due payment.
NTA failed to pay Rs 28 billion in dues, which led to its automatic revocation on Baisakh 3, 2080, as per the provisions of the Telecommunications Act.
Also, check out the major challenges of telecom companies in Nepal
Smart’s management shows concerns
The company used to provide 2G and 4G services for reliable voice and broadband data services. Its failure is a stark reminder of the need for policy-level changes to save the telecom sector. Despite its license revocation, the government hasn’t concluded its asset management either. Currently, Ncell’s state ownership talks have gathered momentum as its 25-year service approaches. But Smart’s plight should be a clear reflection broader need to change policies to attract and sustain telcos in Nepal.
The current government is an interim one. But it has stressed good governance and work ethics. It will be interesting to see if any progress takes place in Smart’s management and addressing its victims’ demands.
