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OC hit by press ops resignations
Press operations is one of the core areas of any major Games. The OC received a serious blow on Monday as eight members of the team handling press operations resigned from their positions.
Press operations is one of the core areas of any major Games. The OC received a serious blow on Monday as eight members of the team handling press operations resigned from their positions. Manish Kumar, deputy director general of the department, had earlier been ordered to move to the environment and sustainability function area, reportedly at the behest of the Cabinet Secretary. The resignations have left the department in the lurch, with only five days to go to till the event kicks off.
OC sources said that Manish had resigned because he felt he was a media professional and would not be able to contribute to the environment and sustainability department. “Press operations was one of the best run function areas, and one of the few where work was being on time, and in a planned manner. These resignations will hit the OC hard,” a source told HT.
“It is painful for us to resign at this stage, after having put in one-and-a-half years of hard work, sometimes working 18-20 hours a day.
“We did not want to desert the Games, and stayed on as long as our work was not interfered with. But once we started facing interference and constant politicking, we could not function, and hence decided to resign,” said a member who had resigned.
Manjushree Roy, who is now in the press operations hot seat, said the situation was difficult, but not untenable.
“The problem was that communication between the OC and our stakeholders, the Press Information Bureau and Infostrata, collapsed because of differences between some individuals. At this stage we could not afford these issues. I am in a difficult position, but we are working around the clock to find a solution.”
