KL Report
SRINAGAR
The state government is likely to lift the ban it imposed earlier on the news aired on cable channels in valley with the talks expected between the government and channel owners in the near future.
According to the reports received by KNS, the government here imposed the ban on news shows that used to be aired via local cable networks during the alleged Shopian rape case in 2009. After a year, a complete ban on news telecast was imposed by the state authorities with the reason that the content telecasted is threat to law and order and could disrupt the situation.
The opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) while slamming the state authorities over imposing curbs on the channels questioned the reason behind allowing the channels to telecast the news in Jammu region. Several legislators of the party in the past while raising the issue of ban on local news in valley asked the government to lift the same at an earliest.
The government later swung into action and decided to review the ban. The then divisional commissioner Kashmir Asgar Samoon had in the year 2012 asked the district authorities to prepare a detailed report over the curbs on local news in Kashmir. Sources privy to this development stated that the decision was kept in abeyance due to some other priorities of the state authorities and also the reluctance of some council of ministers in lifting the ban.
After the recent debacle in the LS polls in the state, the coalition headed by chief minister Omar Abdullah has taken serious note of the reasons behind his party’s rout. He also asked for the suggestions from the masses, asking them to inform him what went wrong and where. Omar later lifted the ban on SMS facility and also scrapped the new job policy of the youth. The government later also enhanced the retirement age of the state employees by two years.
Sources said that the government is considering to review the ban on news telecast by the regional channels here and an expected meet between the channel owners and the state authorities is scheduled in the near future.
KNS has also learnt that there are some senior voices within the state Congress and NC who advocates that the channels be used to cover the poll campaigns and also the achievements of the government during the last six years in office. “We believe that the ban must be lifted. If now, the same is going to benefit us during the poll campaign as the people could be well informed about the steps taken by the government for the greater common good. ”
