Imphal, May 03: Editors' Forum, Manipur observed world Press Freedom Day at Kuki inn, here today under the theme 'Media Freedom and Eradication of poverty'.

Newly inducted Information Minister TN Haokip, Forum president K Shyam and Manipur Human Rights Commission Chairperson Chief Justice (retd) WA Shishak graced the observation as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Obituary to journalists killed in the line of duty and reading out message of UNESCO's director General Koiichiro Mitsuura were the main highlights of the occasion.

Deliberating on the observance theme, WA Shishak said rice meant for school children under the mid-day meal scheme is being pilfered/siphoned off by teachers and village heads and desired that the media expose such unholy practices.

asserting that all Government-sponsored welfare programmes including old age pension scheme is being misused by those in power, the retired Chief justice took a grim note of the fact that even after 50 years of India's independence provision of basic infrastructure to the needy is still a distant dream.

Referring to a recent report regarding a person succumbing to illness on reaching Ukhrul after five day's carriage from a remote village on the Indo-Myanmar border, the guest of honour said such all possible measures need to be charted out to avert recurrence of such heartbreaking incident.

He further called upon the media fraternity to dispense duty sincerely and fearlessly so that any misconduct or injustice, be it from the Government side or otherwise, is exposed for scrutiny by the general public.

Wa Shishak also preferred to discard his earlier discontentment on losing more than two years of service period after being appointed MHRC Chairperson.

Speaking as the chief guest, TN Haokip iterated that without freedom of media democratic principle would be impracticable and described poverty as the greatest misery human kind have to suffer.

In his address president of Editors' Forum, manipur K Shyam reminded all concerned that publication of newspapers is for general information of the masses and under no circumstance should any vested interest try to mislead the common public through threat and intimidation to the media establishment and its personnel.

Forum's advisor K Madhumangol also spoke on the occasion.

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