DHENKANAL: A day after an order on entry ban for media on school campuses sparked a furore, Dhenkanal Collector Saroj Sethi clarified that journalists can enter the premises but not interact with students while classes are underway.
If journalists have any query, they can put it across to the school managing committee but not to students, he informed.
The order, issued by the district education officers (DEO) of Dhenkanal and Kendrapara and subsequently by block education officer (BEO) of Kankadahada, snowballed into a controversy with the government defending the move and Opposition demanding its immediate rollback.
On July 8, Dhenkanal DEO Nibedita Pani issued a letter to BEOs directing them to ask headmasters to restrict media entry on campuses. Acting on the order, Kankadahada BEO had written to school headmasters and stated that FIR should be lodged against the mediaperson in case of any 'unauthorised' entry.
On Sunday, the Collector in response stated that it was ‘unethical’ of journalists to enter school campuses holding cameras and questioning students about their performances which are humiliating and discouraging. Justifying the DEO’s letter, Sethy said students can take any wrong step in case of facing humiliation during media interaction.
However, after backlash from different quarters, Kankadahada BEO issued a letter once again to all school headmasters informing them that media entry ban order has been withdrawn. The order was withdrawn as per the instruction of the Collector during a joint public grievance redressal meeting held at Kankadahada Panchayat Samiti Office, he informed.