MUMBAI: It has been over a year since Radio Namaskar got a new transmitter from Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) and it is alleged that the transmitter has not be working since then.

Odisha based Community Radio Station (CRS) is using the WEBEL transmitter, which according to Radio Namaskar chairperson N. A. Shah Ansari, has not given him any trouble. Ansari said, "The public sector enterprise of the Government of India BECIL has a monopoly in the market. There are not many options available for Community Radio Stations and organisations like BECIL are making use of it. I would request the I&B Ministry to look into it as the problem has persisted with other Community Radio Stations." The ministry has been made known about the issue in the past but no serious action was taken as yet, revealed Ansari.

Ansari further commented, "The issue can only be dealt with in two ways; either the ministry looks into the technological failure by setting up a committee or else by opening up the market so that we can purchase it from other companies."

BECIL officials in a letter to Ansari asked him to replace the tower, antenna and the RF coaxial cable altogether. The official blamed the supplier for the poor quality, even though the BECIL official was made aware that the transmitter was not giving the desired output. Ansari also said that they sent the transmitter to BECIL for repair, and they sent it back but the transmitter still showed the same message.

Ansari, as the VP of Community Radio Association, is taking feedback from other CRSs about problems they faced with BECIL transmitters. He also alleged that many transmitters that BECIL sells to CRSs are picked from China via Nepal and then the BECIL puts a stamp on them. "This is one reason that BECIL officials cannot repair the transmitter as they do not have the mechanism for the same with them," added Ansari. It is estimated that in Nepal a transmitter costs somewhere between Rs 50,000-60,000 and in India you get it for Rs 1.5 lakh.

It has been made clear by Ansari to BECIL officials that if they fail to take necessary action, he will take the legal route.

Meanwhile, Ansari stated that BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) which is another government enterprise, has provided good quality transmitters but they do not supply them anymore.

Recently, BECIL invited quotation for supply of studio equipment for CRS projects. The enterprise requested sealed quotations from eligible agencies for the project, which has a similar kind of supply experience. The date for the request for quotation was 30 December, the submission techno-commercial quotation is 19 January and opening of the quotation is again on 19 January at 3.30 p.m.  (BECIL reserves the right to amend the RFP tentative schedule and critical dates.)