Notices issued to dansense's Darpana Academy

Ahmedabad, Mar 30 (UNI) Acting on a PIL, the Gujarat High court today issued notices to dansense Mallika Sarabhai's Darpana Academy, Prasar Bharati and two others, following a complaint from local television programme producers for allegedly alloting Rs ten crore pilot-project to Darpana Academy in an arbitrary manner.

The notices are returnable on April 20.

The PIL states that Darpana Academy is not at all a programme producer but it is given the pilot project involving a cost that is five times more than the normal cost at prevailing market rate of Rs 40,000 per episode. It further said the Academy is a cultural organistion and the rules have been violated in allocating the pilot project.

Gujarat High Court Judge Akshay H Mehta admitted the PIL filed by three local television programme producers--Sanil Dalal, Abhilash Ghoda and Himali Oza and issued notices to the parties- concerned to be present during the next hearing on April 20.

The Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry has allotted a Rs 10-crore pilot project to Darpana Academy of Performing Arts for production of development programmes to be aired on Gujarat's Doordarshan Kendra.

The local producers had moved the state High Court to seek stay on its telecast which began on Wednesday. They also sought an investigation and fixing of responsibility of officials- concerned in allotting the project allegedly in an arbitrary manner without following the regular procedure of inviting offers from others.

The pilot project will produce programmes under the title ''Use of electronic media, social change and empowerment in Gujarat''. Under this, a series of documentaries, highlighting the condition of women in Gujarat, will be made.

UNI