Media Rue Lack of Support From UT Administration 

Port Blair, March 29: You can call this department as the worst department of the UT administration. Except bringing out official mouthpiece of the UT administration, this Division of the Directorate of IP&T is doing nothing worth. Lack of professional managers in this department coupled a top boss who has no empathy for the media, this department better should be closed down immediately as it is of no use to the local media. The local media since the lockdown has been relentlessly trying to resolve various issues faced by the media here through the IP&T, considered as the nodal agency meant to deal with the media here, but unfortunately, nobody, neither the staff of IP&T of this department nor its top boss remain available to listen to the issues of the media. Every time, media person visits IP&T, no official of IP Division is available to listen to their issues from bottom to the top.  

Despite clear directions to all the State Government by the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India that the State government should ensure ‘Operational Continuity’ of Print & Electronic media, in view of Coronaviurs outbreak to ensure that robust and essential information dissemination network are maintain, situation has been created so that local media do not report facts about the poor style of functioning of the UT administration. Local media persons are being subjected to harassment. Employees working in the media units are not allowed to travel to their office to carryout daily works. Despite showing evidence that they are connected with media houses, the staffs are told to bring passes issued by the Deputy Commissioner Office. At one instance, a Reporter was also beaten by the Police for no reason which is against the policies of the Govt. of India. Some of the media houses has also applied for passes for the delivery boys, but still date no such passes has been issued.