BJP MLA from Bokaro Biranchi Narayan on Wednesday demanded the implementation of Journalists’ Protection Act on the lines of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. It may be noted that Jharkhand Journalists Association had staged a one-day sit-in in all the 24 districts demanding implementation of the law in the State. The journalists after the dharna submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister.
Association state president Vishnu Shankar Upadhyay had written a letter to all the MLAs to implement the Journalist Protection Act during the Assembly session. On Wednesday MLA Biranchi Narayan once again raised the demand for compensation to the families of journalists killed, including the Journalist Protection Act, in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly.
Narayan said that today the fourth pillar of democracy is in danger. Journalists are constantly being killed, attacks on journalists have gone up and demanded implementation of Journalists' Protection Act on the lines of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. This demand of providing constitutional protection to journalists by Birchi Narayan has been welcomed by all journalists in Jharkhand.
Meanwhile, in other developments the growing influence of bureaucracy in State affairs was once again raised in the House. However, this time it was ruling party Congress MLA from Mahagama Deepika Pandey Singh raising the issue. On Wednesday, Pandey raising the issue stated that in Jharkhand there is growing influence of bureaucracy.
She said, “The influence of bureaucracy has reached such a point that even officers didn’t pick up the phone of lawmakers. This shows that bureaucrats are uncontrolled.” Pandey, giving reference to Ranchi Deputy Commissioner (DC), said that the Ranchi DC neither picks his phone nor calls back.
Meanwhile, in the second half of the session the budget of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation was being discussed in the House. Mahagama MLA Deepika Pandey Singh accused the engineers of Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Godda of indulging in corrupt practices. She said that there is corruption from top to bottom in the drinking water department in Godda.
PHED contracts are given in an arbitrary way, even after complaining there is only assurance of investigation as there is no action.
Pandey alleged that Godda's Executive Engineer Arun Kumar has given boring work of crores of rupees to his favorite Naveen Chandra Thakur and Sushil Kumar Bhagat. On this, the department says that whoever has received the job, he has been given work through e-auction on behalf of Superintendent Engineer Deoghar.