Responding to the protests, the Department of Telecommunication issued notices to around 3,000 PCO-operators, directing them not to charge more than the stipulated Rs 1.26. But now, the operators are complaining: ``How can anyone pay 26 paisa?'', they ask.

The DoT, on its part, admits that the figure is irrational, but contend that that is the charge across the country. Besides, they say, if operators can't give the change, they can charge the nearest round figure -- Rs 1.50 in this case.

Caught in this ping-pong battle are the users of public call booths, who still have to shell out Rs 2 for a three-minute local call. ``The DoT might have its limitations, but something needs to be done'', says Shailesh Shah of the Social and Cultural Group of Vadodara, which is spearheading the agitation.

Assistant General Manager (Operations), DoT, Vadodara telecom district, U K Chaudhary, however, pleads that call structures can only be changed nationally. ``Locally, we have issued notices whenever we've received complaints of overcharging'', he says.

When pressed for details, however, Chaudhary is evasive, saying, ``It'll take time to go through the files and get the figures.''

Investigations by Express Newsline, however, indicate that nothing has changed at the ground-level for the ordinary member of the public. Objections against over-charging even evoke rude responses sometimes. ``Almost all operators have set the the local call charge at Rs 2'', says Pratik Mehta, a regular at PCOs.

Incidentally, the call rate is not the only norm to be flouted by PCO-operators. Few adhere to the stricture restricting operators to just this business.

Introduced a couple of years ago, when the STD-PCO rules were revised, it bars operators from other businesses. ``The rules clearly say operators cannot run another business from the same premises'', agrees Chaudhary.

But the majority of operators say the STD-PCO trade is not enough to survive on. ``It may be different for the big operators, but for those earning between Rs 2000 and Rs 3000 per month through this business, it's not enough'', says Sandeep, an operator in the Sama area.

While Chaudhary says notices have been issued in this regard also, an operator in the Fatehgunj area points out that it is harsh on those who joined the business before the restrictions were framed. ``When we started out, this rule was not there. If they insist on it, we'll have to wrap up the STD-PCO business'', says an operator in the Fatehgunj area.

Incidentally, telecom officials agree off the record that neither points of controversy -- the local charge and the simultaneous business -- were rational. But with the public refusing to toe the line, all it can do is issue notices.