Apr 23 deadline set to clear ad bills
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 16 2022:
Editors Guild, Manipur(EGM), Manipur Hill Journalists Union (MHJU) and All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) and publishers have resolved to boycott news related to the government, ruling party BJP and opposition Congress over non clearance of advertisement bills.
A joint meeting of publishers and the three media organisations was held on Friday at Manipur Press Club and has set deadline of April 23 for state government, BJP Manipur Pradesh and Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) to clear the pending advertisement bills failing which no news report related to the three entities would be entertained, cautioned a joint statement of AMWJU president W Shamjai and EGM president Kh Khogen.
"Even as the election process has ended and government installed, the two political parties have not cleared bills pertaining to election advertisement of the just concluded 12th Manipur State Assembly Election," the statement said and added that the bills runs into lakhs of rupees for both political parties.
With the state government, bills running into nearly Rs 10 crore have been lying unpaid for several years, it said and reminded that the issue was raised by media fraternity on November 27, 2021 through a memorandum to the then IPR minister.
An assurance from chief minister and strict instruction to his ministries led to suspension of any form of agitation.
A meeting with the chief secretary also resulted in further assurance to clear all bills by March 31, 2022 .
However, nearly five months since the issue was raised, except for around 10 per cent of pending bills, no further payment have been forthcoming, said the statement.
It added that media houses are already reeling under the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
The joint meeting has now set 4 pm of April 23 as the deadline for clearance of the bills failing which a meeting will be convened on the same day to discuss the matter and details of the boycott.
The meeting also re solved to appeal both the presidents of BJP Manipur Pradesh and MPCC to clear the bills before the deadline, it said.
Notwithstanding the strong stand taken by the meeting, those attending the meeting expressed hope that both the political parties and the government will be sympathetic to the appeal of the media and avoid any confrontation which is not the purpose of the resolution, added the statement.