RTI - Right To Information Act which was released with a lot of fanfare was brought about to bring about more transparency and also accountability in the functioning of Govt. agencies and PSUs. It has definitely got the edge to achieve for which it was initiated in the first place. It's all about bringing forth the long forgotten citizen power.
Though i had read about it and knew that it was a very good instrument its effectiveness was understood by me fully when i made use it recently. So let me get right into the nuances of RTI and shed some light about making use of it.
I had applied for a telephone as well as broadband connection during the first week of August. Generally one gets a telephone connection within 7 days of applying for it. However, there was no signs of me getting one. I called the engineer in charge who was supposed to handle such activities. She said it will be done in some days. "Somedays" passed and yet nothing happened. After calling the engineer again she asked to visit the office once. I went to the office and was asked by her to speak to her Senior about the case.
The senior engineer whom i spoke to was very unprofessional and was very rude. He didn't give any convincing reason about me not getting the phone connection. His reason was that there was no cable to give me a phone connection! This is the state of affairs in one of the best residential areas in namma Bengaluru. God save other places. I was taken aback by his brazen attitude. He went to the extent that i can complain to his seniors and he wasn't bothered about it at all. I thought it was fruitless talking to him and went to the concerned Area Manager. The Area Manager after hearing to my plight talked to the Senior Engineer and told me that my work will be done in 10-15 days. I thought things might work out and waited for about 20-25 days. Still there was no sign of me getting a phone connection. A month and half had passed by now after i had applied.
Around this time i happened to read an article in one of the newspapers abt RTI and some activists who were actively working to spread awareness about the act and its benefits. I had decided that i will definitely go for RTI then and met one of the activist who stays near my house. It turned out to be a very informative visit and the person Mr.VikramSimha was more than happy to help me and in the process gave me lot of information about the RTI Act. He was one of the persons who fought for the act to be passed. Hats off to people like him for carrying out such selfless work.
He typed out my RTI Application. It was good to see good ol' typewriter. :-)
The RTI Application has to be addressed to the Public Information Officer of the concerned dept. In my case i had to address it to PIO of BSNL, Karnataka Circle. There is no standard format of the application. In the subject you have to mention that you're seeking information under the RTI Act 2005. However, you have to be quite clear about what the information you seek and frame the questions accordingly in a precise and clear. Its better that you have about 3-5 questions at the max in your application. Also mention your address/contact information clearly. If you have any supporting documents, you have to include them in your application. In my case, I included the telephone registration card with the application
The application fee is Rs.10 if you personally hand it over to the PIO. It is Rs.11 if you do it through a Postal Order (Rs. 10 + Re. 1 Commission) . If you decide to go by the Postal Order route, you need to mention the Postal Order number in the application and enclose the same.
Once you're done with the framing of the application , you need to send the application to the PIO. I got a Postal Order and sent the application via SpeedPost. Upon receiving the application the PIO sends you the information or directs Assistant PIO's to look into the matter. The information has to be given within 30 working days on the receipt of the application by the PIO.
If you do not receive the information, then you can approach the State Information Commissioner about your application. If this also doesn't help you can approach the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Govt. If the concerned official/Dept is found to have not carried out its work in the way it should have been, you can also claim for losses of which i am not very clear of.
I received the information i had sought. Also I got the telephone connection as well as the Broadband connection. :-) The reason I have got for me not getting the connection for so many is because they deemed it an infeasible case.
RTI is an effective tool. Make use of it in the right way to get your work done and also get the information you need. But the awareness about RTI is not that great and it will become useful only when We The People start making use of it. It will save us some bribe amount :-)
You can also get more information about RTI by joining the Yahoo group kria katte.
Useful link
http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/programs/ai/rti/india/states/karnataka.htm
Come on ladies and gentlemen! Seek the information. Its your ACT. Its your RIGHT TO INFORMATION!!
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