No plan for TV tower at Amritsar for beaming programmes in Lahore

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) The government today denied that it had sanctioned in 2002 a 1000 feet high TV tower to be installed in Amritsar for beaming Doordarshan programmes in and around Lahore.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Information and Broadcasting Ministerv P R Dasmunsi said a scheme for upgrading the TV tower at Amritsar from 10 kw HPT (high power transmission) to 20 kw HPT with a 300 meter tower at a new site was approved in October 1999 for the expansion of DD coverage in the border areas of Punjab.

Due to delay in availability of the new site and pending construction of the 300 meter tower, a 20 KW high power transmission was commissioned at the old site with antenna on the existing 100 meter tower in May 2002.

Mr Dasmunsi said construction of the transmitter at the new site had since been completed.

''Foundation work of the 300 meter high tower has also been completed and erection of tower is to commence,'' he said, adding that the tower was expected to be completed and commissioned next year.

The minister made it clear that the government had ''no information about strengthening of the TV tower several times at Lahore.'' Replying to another query, he said there has been growing demand for relay and transmission of Punjabi programmes.

''All regional language programmes are being telecast in the regional channels only and regional language Punjabi satellite channel signal is available throughout the country,'' he informed the House.

UNI