Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 23 2010:
As in other parts of the country, employees of All India Radio (AIR) and Doordardhan Kendra, Imphal shut their respective offices and staged a sit-in-protest in front of the AIR office at Palace Compound today demanding repeal of the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990, which they claim is unfriendly and against their interest.
Speaking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the protest demonstration, secretary of Programme Staff Association of AIR Imphal Heisnam Biramani said that the facilities which were earlier enjoyed by the employees have been taken away with the passing of Prasar Bharati Act by the Parliament in 1990.Along with this, all the power have also been transferred to the Prasar Bharati Board which was set up in 1996 .
While promotion and other facilities are being denied to the employees, the required posts which are lying vacant for the last 2/3 years have not been filled as yet, he lamented.
Biramani explained that employees have been demanding repeal of the Act and launching various agitations in this connection for the last many years.
But the Government has not listened to the demands of the aggrieved employees.
So, in continuation of the agitation, employees of AIR and Doordarshan all over the country decided to intensify the stir so that the demand for repeal of Prasar Bharati Act is taken up for discussion in the Parliament session, he informed, adding that this time the agitation would be more intense.