Bhubaneswar, Sept. 10: Ashok Baral, a journalist working with the Doordarshan here, has not got his salary since 2014 because of clerical delay in clearing the accounts.

Baral, a part-time correspondent, has been working with the Doordarshan since 2007. 'We use to get Rs 1,200 for filing a news report. My dues have not been cleared since 2014. The Doordarshan owes me nearly Rs 5 lakh.'

Baral said: 'I have to depend on my relatives and friends to run my family. I wonder why I should not be paid after working hard.'

Baral is among 30 part-time correspondents and 15 stringers working for Doordarshan in the state who are yet to get their dues.

The Doordarshan Kendra in Bhubaneswar has no permanent staff for news gathering from various districts of Odisha. It is part-time correspondents and stringers who gather news and also provide video footage.

Convener of the Odisha Radio and TV Journalists' Association Dhirendra Nath Mallick said: 'Due to non-payment of dues to the part-time correspondents and stringers, they are going through difficult financial times.'

He said even the family members of stringer late Illabanta Ray, who died of cancer, and part-time correspondent late Sriranjan Buxipatra, who died in accident, are yet to receive their dues.

'Although Prasar Bharati has made it clear that no delay would be tolerated in the payment of dues to part-time correspondent and stringers, the salaries are not being released due to ill-intention of some staff,' said Mallick.

Deputy director general (engineering) of Doordarshan Dhruba Nanda told The Telegraph: 'The issue has come to my notice. I have instructed the officials to clear the dues of the journalists as soon as possible.'