Strike at BBC: Recently British Broadcasting Corporation employees were on strike to protest the move of retrenchment of nearly 3000 staffers in a bid by the BBC to cut costs. Management said, the amount thus saved will be used for Programme Production. The event was a headline news both in BBC Radio and Television. This is the real spirit of autonomy. In contrast, employees' agitational programmes in AIR and Doordarshan are totally censored. Most interesting feature is that the strike of BBC employees found prominent place in AIR and Doordarshan News for two days, in all the bulletins. Another example of bankruptcy at the top in Prasar Bharati !! It is worthwhile here to mention that BBC employees did succeed in their endeavour, and for now the downsizing has been stopped.

Departmental Competitive Examinations:
" For Helper to Technician examination is being held at Delhi (4 posts), Mumbai (5 posts), Chennai (2 posts) and Guwahati (5 posts), on 28-08-2005. The vacancies are tentative and may change.
" For SEA to AE tentative dates for next examination is 12,13 & 14 November 2005.

Revised Option of 11 Engineering Employees:
After the decision of the Bifurcation of subordinate engineering staff in erstwhile East Zone into North East Zone and East Zone, the existing staff members were directed to exercise their option for either East Zone or North East Zone. Accordingly most of the staff members submitted their option. There after the O/o DG, AIR has once again sought the option/revised option by clarifying the strength of staff opted for each zone. Though lot of applications were reached Directorate in time, some applications were reached due to the administrative delays but not of the fault of the applicants. The Directorate has not considered these delayed applications as option but as interzonal transfer only. There were 11 staff members of SEA, EA & Sr.Tech were being issued the inter-zonal orders in October 2004. Some of these members approached ARTEE for getting justice by protecting their service rendered in the department. ARTEE has taken this matter with Sh. Brijeshwar Singh IAS, DG and Sh.K.M.Paul, E-in- C and ultimately the inter-zonal order of this 11 staff members has been converted as option, on 8th April 2005, allowing TA/DA, Joining time and Seniority as per rules.

Hazardous Condition of LPTV Harda Building:
It has been reported that condition of LPTV Harda is in a most deplorable state.The situation worsens during every rainy season. Department has taken up the maintenance of the building in Jan 2004, after a long persuation by ARTEE unit of Harda and ARTEE Zonal Office with CE(West). The progress of the repair work is externally slow. Another rainy season is just ahead, Transmission activities is bound to be adversely affected by heavy rain. Apart from this the staff feel extremely unsafe, as the building may partially collapse at any time.
The staff is demanding special insurance cover against the potential hazard.

Manipulation of HBA by PAO, DD, Chennai:
Sh.K.P.Ganesh Murthy, Sr.Technician, DDK Bangalore has applied for House Building Advance which was sanctioned by the Directorate of Doordarshan and thereafter issued the order on 11.10.2004 to release 1st instalment of Rs.2 lakhs. When the bill was send to PAO,DD, Chennai it was returned stating the reason for want of sufficient funds. But when the Prasar Bharati Secretariat has confirmed that they have already released the amount, the candidate approached the PAO again. Surprisingly the PAO has informed him that the fund has been diverted to some body else. When it was brought into the notice of the Headquarters of ARTEE, we have taken up the matter immediately with the CEO and Member, Finance, Prasar Bharati who directed the Finance wing to seek the explanation from the PAO for diverting the fund. When ARTEE requested the authorities to take steps for immediate release of amount to Sh.Ganesh Murthy, the Prasar Bharati has released the amount equal to which was diverted by the PAO. Again the PAO tried to play the mischief and only after continuous intervention from the Prasar Bharati officials the PAO released the amount to Sh.Ganeshmurthy. Association has demanded for the corrective steps to avoid such situations in future.

Non Disbursement of Salary at LPT Raygada:
As reported by the Unit Secretary, LPT Rayagada, the Co-ordinator, DMC, Bhawanipatna, and the State Secretary, Orissa, the staff of the LPT under the control of DMC, Bhawanipatna (currently under the control of SE, DMC, Jeypore) did not get salary for the month of March till 15-04-2005.
The case was taken up by the Central Office and finally the salary was disbursed 21.04.2005.
When the SE, DMC was asked the reasons for such delay, the SE came out with a unbelievable reply over telephone that "the staff is not obedient".
One ponder if such analogy is advanced by such senior officer, should he continue to hold such a sensitive post as administrator of 2 Nos of DMC with a big numbers of LPTVs and more than 100 staff members.

Extra ordinary Delay in Settlement of Dues in respect of Late Sh.Rameshwar Mandal, EA of AIR Sasaram:
It was reported to the Central Office of ARTEE by Smt.Sushila Mandal, wife of Late Sh.Rameshwar Mandal, EA, AIR Sasaram who expired on 23.03.2004 due to illness recently that she has not received any due after the demise of her husband including GPF, DCRG, Leave salary, etc. Even pension has not finalized.
Central Office took the martter with DG,AIR and E-in-C, AIR.
On questioning SE, AIR, Sasaram came forward that he should be given a choice transfer as he has completed tenure at Sasaram, first and only then he will initiate actions of releasing death benefits to Smt.Mandal. On repeated words of cautions from the top brass at DG,AIR, he finally came out with an excuse that he doesnot have efficient administrative staff to settle the case.
After long persuation atlast the pension and other dues are being settled now.

HPT Shimoga incident:
Salary was not disbursed for the month of May 2005 on the pay day.
It was reported by the Unit Secretary that SE has not delegated the power of DDO to any subordinate officer, inspite of persistent demand of the local staff.The reason is best known to the SE.
The delay in disbursing of salary is due to a lapse of DDO
in sending a virtual accounts related statement in time. A separate DDO could have saved the day.
It is learned that the SE,Shimoga has been declared as Head of office for DMC davengere also.
May be in Devengere also he will assume the duties of DDO also and the fate of the staff in so many LPTVs will be in uncertainty, as in the case of HPTV Shimoga.

Salary through Cheque Payment:
The order issued on 29th June 2005 stating the salary should be paid by cheques in all AIR&DD stations created a lot of confusion throughout the country. The order issued in the light of the proposed 0.1% tax on transactions above Rs. One lakh from any single account which may cost a huge amount to Prasar Bharati. We have taken up the matter with higher authorities in Delhi and entire employees of DDK Chennai, under the leadership of Sh.Raman were demonstrated and took the matter with CEO & DG(AIR) who were on official visit to Chennai. The authorities has settled the problem for the month wherever the problem was reported. It is appealed to all our members to open their account in any bank to facilitate the office to distribute your salary through cheques to avoid any such extra money as tax proposed by the Govt.