Government should accord constitutional status to media: Bhaskar Sarmah

A Correspondent

DOOMDOOMA: “The government should accord constitutional status to the media,” said Bhaskar Sarmah, organizing secretary of the Assam Union of Working Journalists (AUWJ) while delivering his inaugural speech at the open session of the 45th mid-term conference of Tinsukia District Journalists Association (TDJA) held at Doomdooma Press Club with a day-long programme on Sunday.

He further said that the Working Journalists Act, 1955 should continue and facilities like ESI, pension should be given to the journalists. This will be feasible only if the media houses issue of appointment letters to the journalists, he said, adding that a Press Academy would be established in Guwahati under the initiative of AUWJ. In the morning, the Ramakanta Dutta Commemorative Rural Journalism Award was given away and the bulletin Janadhwani was inaugurated.

The Ramakanta Dutta Commemorative Rural Journalism Award, which consists of cash award of Rs 5,000, a citation and a memento, was given to Binoy Bhushan Sensoa by Kiron Dutta, wife of Ramakanta Dutta who was Professor of Physics, Tinsukia College. Dr Madan Sarmah, retired Professor of Tezpur University, inaugurated the bulletin of TDJA titled Janadhwani .

The open session was addressed by ADC Monjit Borkakati on behalf of Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia, Bhaskar Pegu who could not attend the morning session because of his indisposition. A number of resolutions on according constitutional status to media, pension, ESI and giving appointment letters to journalists were adopted in the meeting.

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