The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry has asked the state governments to consider enforcement of an Act to curb video piracy on the lines of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu, which has included video piracy in the Goonda Act (Tamil Nadu Prevention of Dangerous Activities of bootleggers, drug offenders, forest-offenders, goondas, immoral traffic offenders and slum grabbers and video piracy Act) has been successful to a great extent in decreasing video piracy, specially of the pirated CD variety, according to studies and media reports.
Currently Karnataka is also in the process of emulating the move by equating video pirates with goondas. The ministry has also asked the chief secretaries of all states to advise district magistrates and superintendents of police to include anti piracy measures in their monthly activity period.
According to an KPMG estimate, about Rs 2,000 crore is lost annually to piracy related to filmed entertainment. The I&B ministry had also constituted a core group to suggest measures to combat piracy of films.
?Action on the recommendations of the core group are being taken to curb piracy,? the ministry said in a reply to a parliament question.