‘Joint director has failed on all fronts’
Kashmir Press Service
Srinagar: The tall claims of the State Information Department regarding the revamping and streamlining of its functioning for “maintaining smooth process of public relations” seems falling flat.
Valley based media fraternity believes the Information Department not only deprives them of the deserving advertisements but there is also lack of accountability in issuing the relevant government passes to the accredited journalists.
“I am an accredited photojournalist having more than 10 years experience. It is for the first time in my career that I was neither provided neither an identity card nor a pass to cover the recent parliamentary polls,” said Danish Ismail, a photo journalist working with an international news agency Reuters.
Journalists allege they have lot of complaints with the department one among these that the department is run by some “blue-eyed junior level employees who act as bosses”.
The media persons said they have several times raised the issues of passes, identity cards, invitations with the in-charge officials but to no avail.
“Since the new joint director has taken over, we are suffering immensely. Despite regular updating of photos and personal details, no change has been done in my identity card. The officials hardly bother to update. They trash the new details,” another veteran photojournalist said.
On condition of anonymity, a group of journalists also alleged that the recent accreditation meeting which was held in Jammu, “many new journalists were given accreditation” while as the files of the deserving ones were not put forward.
Aakash Amin Bhat, the editor-in-chief of the daily Kashmir Age, which is approved for advertisements from both state information department and DAVP as well, said since March 18, the newspaper hasn’t received a single centimeter advertisement. “Now, I’m worried as I’m not able to pay the salaries of my employees,” he said.
“The Department is showing that since March they have issued 60 centimeter advertisements to the newspaper as per official records but the fact is that we have not received the same. This department has become defunct,” Aakash added.
Many believe that after the transfer of previous joint director Tasaduq Hussain Mir, the department has again turned “grungy”. “The previous joint director was successful in streaming the department to the greater extent but his successor has failed on all fronts,” he said.
When contacted Joint Director Information, Zahoor Ahmad said, “I will look into the matter and asked the Managing Editor to visit his office.”
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