I&B minister urged not to shut DD transmitters in Amritsar district

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 15

MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla requested Anurag Thakur, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, to maintain infrastructure concerning television and radio in the border district. The MP met Thakur at his office in New Delhi.

Two high-powered 20 kilowatts transmitters each of Doordarshan Punjab (Jalandhar) and Doordarshan National, New Delhi, telecasting on VHF Channel seven and UHF Channel 29 in operation for the past several years at Basarke Gillan area of Amritsar are on the verge of being permanently shut down. These transmitters are very popular in Pakistan, where these are being picked up by using old fashioned roof-top antennae in the Lahore region of Pakistan. This is at a time when Pakistan TV Lahore is strengthening its services to Amritsar. This anticipated closure of Doordarshan transmitters on December 31 is an unfortunate development. Doordarshan, Amritsar, is the third oldest television station in India, in operation since 1973. Its closure so close to Pakistani Punjab’s capital Lahore, where ordinary folks watch these channels using roof top antennae, is most unfortunate and must be prevented.

He intimated him that both these high powered transmitters were planned to be transferred to the new 300-m high tower at Gharinda on GT Road leading to Lahore. “Unfortunately, due to an insignificant minor deformity the tall tower was not commissioned. Now, it has been learnt that instead of being transferred to the high altitude tower, these transmitters are being shut down permanently.”