Guwahati, Jul 24: Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) has  demanded a fair distribution of  flats, developed by  Assam State Housing Board, to media persons so that the real needy families get the opportunity instead of continued possession by rich personnel including the editor-journalists. The forum also insists on affidavits by the housing flat owners declaring that they don't have private houses in the city.

“It is understood that many affluent media personalities have been occupying the affordable housing flats in various parts of the city. 

Once the housing flat owners become wealthy to buy properties (including luxurious apartments), they should abandon the housing flats so that more needy families can get those,” said JFA president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria.

The scribe’s forum argued that there is nothing wrong to acquire a housing flat when one is looking for an affordable place to live in the city, but once he or she becomes wealthier (to have private apartments), it should be a general conscience to leave the affordable flats so that it can be handed over to the most needy families. 

Journalists should show the gesture first, added the  statement. “The concerned authority must  take an initiative to identify those wealthy housing flat owners (if necessary, an affidavit by them can be asked to submit) to recover those flats meant for low income families,” said the JFA statement, adding that chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma should formulate relevant policies so that the new-found rich owners have to abandon their old housing flats voluntarily.