Centre to revive broadcast project at border

GS Paul

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 4

In an initiative aimed at countering Pakistan’s propaganda through the electronic media, the Union Government plans to revive a radio and TV transmission project at the Attari border.

The issue was raised by Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year. Talking to The Tribune, he said: “I highlighted that people in the border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran were exposed to malicious propaganda by Pakistani channels. I have received a written reply from the Centre that the project would be executed later this year.”

He said if everything fell into place, the transmission would be received in Sialkot, Gujranwala and Lahore.

The project had been jointly conceived over a decade ago by the All India Radio (AIR) and the Prasar Bharti Corporation of India (Doordarshan). In 2005, a 1,000-ft high, 20-KW AIR tower was set up at Gharinda, 5 km from the Attari-Wagah border. However, the television tower could not be installed.

Additional Director General (Development), AIR, RG Dastidar confirmed the FM transmitter was installed at Gharinda as an interim arrangement, with an expected coverage of about 60-km radius.

As part of the project, Doordarshan had entrusted the job of setting up a 300-m-high self-supporting TV tower worth Rs17 crore to UK-based firm Alan Dick Broadcast in 2005.

A functionary at the Doordarshan headquarters in New Delhi said the contract was annulled since the firm had breached the contract terms.

“The firm moved the Delhi HC. The case is pending. However, efforts are on to resolve the matter soon. Since AIR has already installed infrastructure, we will execute our part of the project as soon as we settle the matter with the firm,” he said.

Another border town of the state, Fazilka, has an AIR station. It operates with a 20-KW FM transmitter on 100.8 megahertz and broadcasts AIR’s Urdu service.