KL Report
SRINAGAR
On the invitation of the Ministry of Information& Broadcasting GoI, a delegation of fourteen members of Jammu Kashmir Press Association led by its President, GH Kaloo, met Manish Tiwari in his office on Thursday, September 26, and presented a memorandum of demands related to Media in J&K State.
While explaining the problems faced by the Printers, Publishers Editors and Journalists covering day to day events in the state, it was made abundantly clear that they are placed in a very inhospitable environment and have been walking on a razor’s edge and in the process have suffered immensely over the last twenty two years. Working in such an environment demands support and encouragement from his Ministry by way sufficient advertisement support from DAVP, relaxation of conditions for empanelment of new newspapers and timely release of payments to the newspaper offices based in the state. It was explained that there is no industrial development, especially in Kashmir valley and hence advertisements must flow from I&B Ministry to run the newspapers in a smooth manner.
It was brought to the notice of the Minister that the Registrar of Newspapers government of India should expedite registration of new newspapers, after screening all the parameters, so that the applicants are not subjected to redtapism. The website of the said office is required to be updated as many errors are detected in case of several newspapers published from J&K State.
It was stressed that the J&K based Editors/journalists need to be provided opportunities to participate in National and International Seminars to enable them to get acquainted with day to day developments taking place around the globe. The issue of accreditation of editors was also raised in the meeting as their correspondents are empanelled on their recommendation while as they are denied this facility which is highly incomprehensible.
It is heartening to learn that the I&B Ministry has issued necessary instructions to DG, DAVY, Registrar RNI and Pr. Dg, PIB to initiate action on the demands contained in the memorandum.
The delegation later met G N Azad, Minister of H&FW and presented a similar memorandum with the request to take up all the issues with the Ministry of I&B GoI so that our demands are met without any delay.
Those present in the delegation included Prabodh Jamwal (Editor Kashmir Times), Zahoor Gulzar (Editor Global Kashmir), Iqbal Hussain Shah (Editor Udaan), Kuldeep Gupta (Coordinator, Editor Imaraat) along with three editors, Naseer Khora (President Chenab Valley Journalists Association and Co-coordinator) along with three members, Ashiq Hussain (Treasurer JKPA), Mir Altaf (Editor Heevan Mail & Fish Eye) and P L Uniyal.
