Director of Health Services, Government of Manipur is likely to pay heavy price for violating the guidelines of the Manipur State Advertisement Policy, 2013. According to official source from the Directorate of Information and Public Relation (DIPR), almost all the display advertisement relating to awareness on Rabies and Swine flu published through print media are directly done by the director of Health Services and not by passing through the DIPR. As according to the Manipur State Advertisement policy, it is mandatory for every government department or agency under the state government to publish any form of advertisement through the DIPR. Clause 9 of the Manipur State Advertisement Policy says that All Government advertisements, both classified and display, shall be released through DIPR only. And clause 24 of the state advertisement policy clearly mention that if any Government advertisement is issued in violation of the provisions of clause 9, the head of Department /Office concerned will be personally responsible for payment of advertisement bills from his/her personal account. Again the clause 25 of the advertisement policy also said that Treasury officers/Sub-Treasury Officers shall withhold bills for payment of govt. advertisement which have not been routed through DIPR.
At the outset of the spread of swine flu across the country and simultaneous confirmation of a positive case here at Imphal on March 5 this year, the Directorate of Health Services, Government of Manipur had published widespread information about Swine flu through advertisement on selected local daily newspapers. Considering the magnitude of the situation the newspapers here in Manipur had published the display advertisement. The same was done some months back when Rabies was spreading across the state. Publication of these display advertisement was perhaps the need of the hour, but laws are laws and it is the duty of every government employees to follow the laws and abide by the guidelines provided by them.
On the other hand, source said that staffs of the DIPR felt humiliated as no tangible action has been taken up to any of the concern government department for violating the guidelines of the Manipur State Advertisement Policy.
