Avtar Community Radio @ 90.4 FM

Contact Person: Mr. Kulwinder Singh

Broadcasting Language: Punjabi

Genesis: Avtar Community Radio FM 90.4 was established by Ek Onkar Charitable Trust Nirmal Kuteya Seechewal (Jal) under the leadership of the renowned environmentalist and Member of Parliament, Sant Balbir Singh Ji Seechewal on the premises of Sant Avtar Singh Memorial College, Seechewal, of Jalandhar district in Punjab. 

As the first community radio established in the rural area by and for the rural people, it is committed to focusing on environment, education, and sports. Avtar Community Radio essays an  important role in spreading environmental awareness, awareness about the eradication of social evils and superstitions, and promoting communal harmony, education, and women empowerment in the region.   

Thematic Focus: The major thematic focus area of Avatar CR is addressing environmental concerns like pollution, water contamination, deforestation, and climate change. It is important to create awareness around these issues before it is too late. The community and the entire world is facing the problems arising out of different environmental concerns. People need to be educated and made aware of these problems so that they can adopt responsible practices to save the environment. The other focus areas of Avatar CR include women empowerment, agriculture, health, education, and sentising the youth. 

Sustainable Development Goals: Avtar Community Radio focuses on the SDGs given below:

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 13: Climate Action

SDG 15: Life on Land

Primetime Programmes: ‘Radio Sath’ and ‘Rang Punjab De’ are the  primetime programmes. Radio Sath is an innovative programme in which a character named ‘Taya Ji’ talks about environmental, social and educational issues in a colloquial style. It is a phone-in programme, and is very popular among the listeners. Similarly, Rang Punjab De is an informative programme that discusses different environmental problems. 

Innovations in format or any other way: The CRS believes that only active participation from the community can help in effecting significant positive changes. The CRS advocates the participation of students and youngsters in its activities that aim to mitigate and reverse the effects of environmental problems. 

Core Team: The core team at Radio Avatar is constituted of the Station Director, Programme Head, Editor,  and presenters. The CRS also has a group of volunteers who actively contribute to the activities of the CRS. 

Major Projects Undertaken: Radio Avatar mainly focuses on developing its internal initiatives that aim to enlighten and empower the community on relevant social concerns. The CRS also strives to be a part of external projects in collaboration with leading organisations. 

Sustainable Strategies: Radio  Avatar is sustained through grants from its parent organisation, Ek Onkar Charitable Trust, Seechewal. The CRS also generates revenue through advertisement from various state and local government bodies. 

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: Radio Avatar’s broadcast range covers as many as fifty villages and the CRS has an active listener base of approximately one lakh listeners. 

Major concerns in the Community: The pollution of the Chitti Bein and Satluj river has caused major problems for people in the region, like scarcity of clean drinking water. People frequently suffer from diseases and have been fighting for a better clean environment under the leadership of Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal.