Will not tolerate threats to trade: Hotel assn

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 29

Members of the Punjab Hotel Association have opened a front against the alleged extortion techniques being employed by officials of Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL).

Today, they met Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra and urged him to look into the matter.

State president of the association Satish Arora said the hotel industry was already reeling under the burden of heavy taxes and recession but they were now threatened and held at ransom by the PPL.

He said the PPL was constituted under the Copyrights’ Act and was meant to curb the menace of piracy but not register copyright cases against hotel owners for playing music on televisions and music systems.

“Several times in the past, we have sent written communications to the company asking for a clarification on why its representatives are asking hotels to cough up money for playing music on television or background music in the dining and bar areas. We have never received any written reply from the company and nor are its representatives able to give proper clarification. Rather, they resort to threatening,” Arora said.

Arora said hotel, bar and restaurant owners in several other districts of the state were also facing similar problems and were contemplating registering complaints against the company representatives with the police.

Deputy Commissioner Lakra assured the members that the district administration would look into the matter and also suggested that in future whenever a PPL representative comes to any hotel, bar or restaurant asking for submission of money, the owners must immediately call the district administration.

The Deputy Commissioner also assured that no illegal means of working would be allowed in the district and stringent action would be taken against those who are found to be using unfair means to fleece traders and other businessmen.