EMN
DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 25
The Nagaland Press Association (NPA) is dismayed by the indifferent and lukewarm response of the various government departments which have yet to act on the directives issued to them for clearing all pending payments for advertisements that have been duly acknowledged and published by the media houses in good faith.
“Despite many difficulties faced, the newspapers in Nagaland have never shied away from fulfilling its duty i.e. serving public interest and giving support to the government machinery in its endeavour to fulfill its own responsibilities,” the NPA said in a press statement jointly issued by its vice president H Chisi and general secretary Along Longkumer. The statement also said non-payment of bills for services rendered by the newspapers in particular and the failure to acknowledge its needs in general goes to show the utter disrespect that our government has towards the media in Nagaland.
The NPA then expresses its solidarity with the stand taken by the editors of newspapers who have had to resort to issuing memorandums and public reminders to the government on non-fulfillment of its demands. “The State government should look into the seriousness of the issue raised by the editors of newspapers in Nagaland and avoid the embarrassment of a media blackout of the Prime Ministerâs upcoming visit and the Hornbill Festival from December 1-10,” it added.
The NPA then urged that the government departments which have yet to clear their dues should be directed by both the head of the government, the Chief Minister and the head of the bureaucracy, the Chief Secretary, to find ways and means to meet the deadline issued by the media houses i.e. November 30. The NPA condemns all forms of red tape and dereliction of duty within the government departments.
The apex media body then said the grievances of the newspapers in Nagaland are not a new phenomenon but have been dragging on for many years now. “Here, the general public should be made aware that newspapers are not demanding anything that does not belong to them but only want what is due to them for services rendered by it,” it stated, adding, “As such, the government should take note that the defaulting departments will be held solely responsible for any extreme course of action that the newspapers may take in the days to come.”
Government orders clearance of newspaper advt bills by Nov 29
Following the ultimatum issued on November 24 by the editors of major newspapers in Nagaland for payment of pending advertisement bills by November 30, 2014, the department of Home, government of Nagaland, vide Order No. SAB(A)-12/4/2007(Pt-I) dated Kohima, the 25th November 2014, has directed various departments that the status report on clearance of pending advertisement bills be submitted to Secretary, IPR, by November 25.
The IPR department has been asked to compile the status report so received from all the departments and move proposals to Finance department for clearance of all pending bills.
The IPR department has also been directed to coordinate with all HODs if any sanction has been drawn and paid to the newspaper concerned. If any bill has already been paid, then the department concerned has to submit the Actual Payment Receipt (APR) to IPR and if not paid the money should be deposited to Director, IPR, who will then clear the bill. This is to maintain single window clearance and should be completed by November 29, 2014.
In this connection, discussion was held in the office chamber of Principal Secretary (Home) with the department of IPR in follow up to letter No. SAB(A)-12/4/2007(Pt-1) dated 21st November 2014.
