AFTPA accuses DDK, Itanagar, of violating norms

Itanagar, Jan 05 (UNI) The Arunachal Film and Television Producers Association (AFTPA) has accused the Doordarshan Kendra (DDK), Itanagar, of violating the Prasar Bharti norms in the process of empanelment of local producers for commissioned programmes allotted for the current year.

The AFTPA accused the DDK of denying justice to local producers and staged protests yesterday by wearing black arm-bands as well as covering television sets in black.

According to the association, out of the 55 producers empanelled under category A, only 15 were local producers, which violated the the guidelines drawn up by the Prasar Bharti in its 79th board meeting on October 12.

The Prasar Bharti had ensured to make special efforts to promote and nurture talent, provide a platform to deserving producers and artists and encourage production of programmes in local languages with a view to project the region's rich art, culture and literature, besides emphasising on transparency and fairness in the selection process.

''Far from promoting and nurturing local talent, the DDK, Itanagar, seems to be consciously keeping the interest of the state furthest from its mind,'' the association stated.

Expressing resentment over the empanelment results, the association said since government institutions in Arunachal Pradesh followed the practice of 80:20 reservations in its employment policy, it should have been implemented in principle during the empanelment process within the 75 per cent set aside for Northeast producers.

''As the television industry in the state is relatively new, many experienced as well as young talents have taken it up professionally. The imbalanced selection process has deprived a host of deserving producers from earning a livelihood for the next five years,'' the AFTPA stated.

''The present selection of 70 per cent non-Arunachalee producers against 27 per cent indigenous producers is a gross disregard of the interests of the state,'' the association rued.

The association alleged that the authorities had deliberately taken local aspirations for granted by not advertising the empanelment list in the local newspapers despite clear-cut instructions from Prasar Bharti.

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