Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists (BUJ) is deeply concerned at the increasing cases of Covid-19 amongst working journalists and grieves the death of more than 100 journalists in the second wave of the pandemic. In Mumbai, at least four journalists lost their lives to the pandemic in the last week alone.
Journalists have been on the field, covering the pandemic with little or no safety equipment. Many are struggling with job losses and wage cuts in the wake of the lockdown announced last March.
The executive committee of BUJ, in its meeting held on May 1, on the occasion of Labour Day and Maharashtra Divas, resolved to extend financial assistance to working journalists in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The EC decided that any assistance rendered would be kept completely confidential.
A special committee comprising BUJ General Secretary, Indra Kumar Jain and senior journalists Ghanashyam Bhadekar, Prabhat Sharan and Geeta Seshu has been set up for this purpose.
The BUJ also expressed concern at the growing precarity within the working class in general and the media in particular, due to changes in labour laws, delays in the judiciary and the studied indifference of the government.
The BUJ also expressed concern at the worsening Covid-19 situation and the failure of governments, both at the Centre and the States, to mitigate the woes of all citizens, leave alone carve out any measures for media persons.
*Note:*
For further details on financial assistance, please email [email protected] or contact any of the following committee members :
Indra Kumar Jain (98334 51299),
Ghanashyam Bhadekar (98927 17716),
Prabhat Sharan (97570 52963) and Geeta Seshu (9892214601).
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