The three-member Press Council of India (PCI) team held a series of meetings here today with the representatives of various media associations to have an insight into the challenges confronting the media in the State.The PCI team comprising of Pravat Kumar Dash, Ashok Upadhyay and Prof Sushma Yadav, held detailed deliberations with the representatives of Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG), Kashmir Press Club, Jammu &Kashmir Editors Forum (JKEF), Jammu and Kashmir Press Association (JKPA), J&K Media Association, J&K Journalistic Union and other similar bodies.During the meetings, the associations urged PCI to play a proactive role in addressing the issues and challenges faced by the newspapers and journalists here.They demanded that there should be a set-time frame within which the petitions filed in the Council by the newspapers regarding various issues are addressed.
Lack of J&K’s representation in PCI was also discussed during the meetings. It was said that it is high time when J&K should get representation in the Council, as it will expedite redressal of the cases brought into the notice of the Council from the State.The visiting Council members acknowledged that there has been some communication gap between local journalists and the Council and every possible step would be taken to fill the void at an earliest. They assured that they would be in regular touch with the media fraternity in the State to ensure speedy redressal of their grievances.The team said that they were visiting the State on the instructions of Chairman PCI Justice C K Prasad who according to them was concerned over the recent developments in the State.