Western Odisha Artists’ Body Urges PM Modi For Revival Of DD-Sambalpur

Sambalpur: The artists of the Paschim Odisha Kalakar Mahasangha have requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his personal intervention in reviving the Doordarshan Kendra (DDK) in Sambalpur.

Expressing concern on behalf of the Mahasangha, BJP MP Suresh Pujari, in a letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, said DDK, Sambalpur, commissioned in 1978 as the eighth DDK of the country, was inaugurated by the then Information and Broadcasting minister Lal Krishna Advani.

Since then, it has played a pivotal role in promoting and enriching the culture, tradition, music, dance, Sambalpuri folk and heritage of Western Odisha, including the tribals of the region. Besides it has also telecast several programmes for the farmers, Pujari said.

The DDK Sambalpur has become non-functional of late due to non-patronisation and the reduction of staff, he added.

“The programme generating facility (PGF) studio has almost become defunct as there is no programme staff of 15 sanctioned strengths. The sorrowful state of affairs can be well understood from the fact that the only cameraman is available against two sanctioned strength was withdrawn and transferred by the Prasar Bharti thereby putting the last nail in the coffin,” he pointed out.

Pujari requested PM Modi to converted it into a full-fledged Doordarshan Kendra by filling up the vacant post, including two cameramen of the production unit, and upgrading the facilities – ultramodern studio and DD-6 (RLSS) channel for 24×7 service and operation and digitalised news van (broadcast van).

The MP has also sent a copy of this letter to the I&B minister Anuran Singh Thakur and Director, Prasar Bharati, New Delhi.

On Tuesday, the artists of the Paschim Odisha Kalakar Mahasangha led by Padmashree Haladhar Nag, Padmashree Jeetendra Haripal, Padmashree Mitrabhanu Gontia and many artists of the Mahasangha staged a dharna in front of the office of the district collector in Sambalpur and submitted a memorandum to Pujari.