KOLKATA: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairman Rahul Khullar met 150 local cable operators in the city where they told him their grievances.

The cable operators raised the issue of the regulations of the local video channels floated by the body or in other words popularly known as platform services (PS).

“We have appealed to TRAI to allow us to run our local channels as we did during the analogue times,” said Cable Operators’ Sangram Committee secretary Apurba Bhattacharya and added, “The cable TV operators have no intention to violate the rules and regulations set up by the most competent authority concerning local channel.”

“Technology is evolving rapidly and hence, transmission of local content cannot be restricted by selection of type of content. It is advisable that the authority may come out with a guideline with restricted content given the current conditions,” said Cable & Broadband Operators’ Welfare Association general secretary Swapan Chowdhury.

Khullar answering to some of the LCOs query said that the regulator would like to monitor all the content aired on the local channels. “The LCOs will not be able to telecast news and related events,” he said.

The chairman also assured that he will keep the view of LCOs in mind while formulating directives on PS. Other LCOs present at the venue said that the local video channel is the foundation pillar of cable television network.

The TRAI had, a few months ago, come up with a consultation paper to regulate platform services in which it said that due to digitisation, LCOs wont’ be able to transmit a local channel and will have to take it from an MSO.