Orissa: Attitude of the FM Channels towards NGOs/CBOs

November 1, 2008

Dear FORUM,

It has been shocking how the FM Radio in Orissa treats social issues and social

causes undertaken by NGOs and CBOs.

Institute for Development Programme & Research (idpr) is the lead member of the

consortium ODISHA-One, an eighteen CBO/NGO consortium which is addressing stigma

and discrimination in SRH and HIV/AIDS.

The consortium has a free telephone SpARSHHA (Speaking About Reproductive Sexual

Health & HIV/AIDS). This is one helpline which is

purely working through its own funds and being manned by a dedicated group of

volunteers from the vulnerable/marginalized groups (IDUs, MSMs, PLHIV).

The consortium wanted to ensure that this telephone helpline is publicized in

the various FM channels which are so popular in the thirty districts of Orissa.

However during the meeting of Sudeshna Satpathy, Director and in

charge of the helpline with Mr. Binod Banerjee, Head, " big927FM.com, Mr.

Banerjee was arrogant and presumptuous enough to declare that all NGOs in Orissa

are cheats and only Lions Club and Rotary Club are honest organizations and they

would prefer working with these two organizations, and further declared that the

FM's reach is to eleven districts and with cheap publicity the NGOs are trying

gather funds for their own benefit.

What was shocking that Mr. Banerjee did not have the patience to hear out what

Ms. Sudeshna Satpathy had to say, and rudely dismissed her from his room.

Ms. Sudeshna Satpathy is a XIMB graduate who is a dedicated social activist and

has been working with a lot of dedication against stigma and discrimination in

the field of HIV/AIDS and is currently trying to

strengthen the free telephone helpline the first of its kind which is being

manned by the CBOs and dedicated to answering queries on reproductive and sexual

health and HIV/AIDS and strengthening linkages to service delivery.

Ajay Patra,

President,

Kalinga Network of Positive People, Bhubaneswar.

" Kalinga Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Orissa KNP+ "

e-mail: <knpplusorissa@...>

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