MUMBAI: Bengaluru based community radio station (CRS), Sarathi Jhalak, is facing a severe financial crunch, which resulted in the station discontinuing broadcasts for a week (30 August to 4 September, 2015). However, upon the request of listeners, people working at the radio station commenced broadcasting its shows.

“Apart from the initial 10 lakhs we received for the CRS, the Government has not helped us. We are facing a major financial crunch. Those working at the community radio station have very meager salaries. That is why we discontinued broadcasts. But we got many calls from listeners asking us to resume our shows, and so we did,” said Sarathi Jhalak, President, DS Shamantha. She also revealed that no one from the government has attempted contacting the station after being informed about the financial crunch.

Established in 2012, Sarathi Jhalak is the only NGO based community radio station in Sarathi, Bengaluru, and it caters to 30,000 - 60,000 people. A larger percentage of those who help run the station are women. Shows on the radio station cover various topics like health, law, education, finance medicine and others. “For the broadcast in the evening, we always ensure that the topics are lighter,” explained Shamantha.

Students from Eram Convent College, which has a journalism course, also contribute to the programming of the CRS. “The first and the second year students contribute to the programs we do and it gives them an exposure to the kind of content that is put on radio,” she explained.

Broadcasts take place from Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm and 6pm to 9.30pm.