DC impact: No AIR bar for government officials

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Prasar Bharati has cancelled its order barring government officials as casual announcers or programme producers in the news section. Deccan Chronicle had reported that news section of AIR had been badly hit after the order, triggering widespread protests. The government staff termed it as suppressing their artistic talents.

It affected some 300 casual employees across the state presenting radio news and programmes. The order by Bhim Prakash Sharma, assistant director of programmes (SW), also hit the AIR stations hard. DC had carried two newspaper reports on this, and the grievances of the casual employees bringing them to the notice of Union ministers Smriti Irani and Arun Jaitley.

“Top officials of AIR in Thiruvananthapuram took it up, and the Prasar Bharati realised the seriousness of the issue after the programme quality hit badly,” said an employee. In its second report, DC had also pointed out that there were no restrictions on government officials expressing their artistic talents and only a No Objection Certificate from the employer had to be produced. But a section of to AIR officials gave scant regard and prevented them.