Darjeeling: Local channel youths frustrated

Darjeeling: With the district administration unwilling to lift its sanction on the three local channels, more than 30 youths, now jobless since August last year, are finding it difficult to make ends meet.

The district administration had clamped down the three local channels- Darjeeling Television, Himali and Hamro Channel - forcing them to stop broadcasting local events from August 9. A day earlier, the SDO had visited the control rooms of the three channels and closed them down.

Without a job and families to feed, the 30-odd youths whose only source of income was the channels, have started to get frustrated.

“I am confused and frustrated. I have a family to maintain and am the only earning member. Now without a job I don’t know how I will take care of my family that includes a child,” said Sunil Shankar, cameraman of Darjeeling Television.

The story is similar for almost all the other youths who are not highly educated and come from financially weak backgrounds.

“I am not educated a lot but have managed to look after myself and my family with the little income from the local channel. But now that source of income is also gone as the administration has closed the channels,” said Rabin Gadaily, who said he would head to the cities to find a job if the channels are not reopened soon.

The local channels broadcast cultural, religious and entertainment programmes. They also air events and functions organised by the local administration, besides providing a platform for youths of the hills to showcase their talents. They also serve as a medium for people to remain updated about the latest political activities in the region.

The information and cultural affairs department of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) recently issued an order allowing the three closed channels to function stating the medium was a subject transferred to the council.

However, the district administration has said it would take legal action against the channels if they start operations without its permission and also write to the GTA to repeal the order.

“We will communicate with the GTA and ask them to repeal the order. The Cable Television Act is a central act and the district administration is responsible in upholding it. Therefore, we will take strict action if the channels operate without the district administration’s permission,” said Darjeeling DM Puneet Yadav.

When asked for the reasons for shutting the local channels, the DM said, “As per the Cable Television Act, the district administration is empowered to close channels if news items being broadcasted is found to be creating a hostile environment and is likely to spread disturbances.”

The DM, however, said the sanction was only applicable for the news section and that the channels could telecast entertainment programmes to which the administration had no complaint. GTA officials could not be contact for comment even as a source said the council was yet to receive a written communication from the district administration.(EOI)