DD, AIR employees on strike tomorrow

The employees also cite Prasar Bharati CEO B S Lalli's plans for mortgaging the public broadcaster's assets with banks for raising funds from the market as another reason behind their agitation. The employees' national federation also claims that Prasar Bharati management plans to hire people from outside to operate the highly secured areas of DD and AIR installations, which, they say, could infiltrate national security as these are prohibited for the public under Official Secrets Act 1923.     

During the strike, the employees would not perform activities like maintenance, servicing, logging and scripting that could affect the functioning of various television and radio stations across the country.     

The National Federation of Akashvani and Doordarshan Employees (NFADE) has written to Minister for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) P R Dasmunsi in this regard. NFADE also pointed out that Lalli had called its office bearers for a meeting last week with the aim of persuading them to call off their June 3 strike.     

NFADE chairman S Anilkumar said that during the meeting, Lalli told them he was planning to mortgage some of Prasar Bharati's assets to raise funds from the market.     

Prasar Bharati currently functions through grant-in-aid from the Centre and funds generated through internal accruals. Official sources said that funds are a problem for Prasar Bharati as its expenses exceed its income. The employees had observed "work to rule" agitation on the issue between May 19 to May 23.