Journalists denied access to work station
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal

New Delhi, May 15 2014 : A group of young reporters from Assam have been denied access to their work station in New Delhi since Monday, following locking up of their work station in the ground floor of Eastern Court building in Janpath.

Correspondent of Assomiya Pratidin, Goutam Bhattacharya told The Sangai Express that request and appeal have been intimated to the concerned authorities of the said building, the BSNL.

The building earlier served as the Telegram office, the 160 year old communication system that now remain closed following closure of the department.

By Thursday, the matter was also reported to the police, as the office still remain locked with the reporters left with no option.

Computers, televisions set and cameras, documents, fax machines and telephones of the reporters are inside the office.

The reporters alleged that until Friday, they were at work and there was no intimation to them.

Saturday being holiday, they came to office on Monday and found that it was locked.

The reporters also met several officers in charge of BSNL and Central Vigilance Officer, but received no response nor the office was opened to them.

The said office room is the work station for several years, for journalists and media persons from states outside Delhi.

Many have left once they have their own offices.

About 10 reporters are working daily in the said office until today.

According to Bhattarcharjee, a formal inauguration of the office � work station was done by Kabindra Purkayastha the then Union Minister for Communication back in 1998 .

"The work station is opened to all", said Goutam, "From 2009 onwards problems have started, the reporters received informal communication to leave the office", he said.

Until last week, the reporters managed to retain the office.

An official letter from the Information and Broadcasting Minister have also been communicated to the BSNL stating that the said space has been allotted to the media persons.

With vote counting scheduled tomorrow, reporters are both anxious and hopeful of losing or retaining their work station in New Delhi.

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