Recently, I attended an amazing seminar on the Right to Information
Act at Pune. Amazing because the people there were so well informed,
so obviously committed, and working with a whole lot of simplicity
(not like some of the other plushly-funded campaigns I have come
across by people who believe they are campaigning for a cause).

Permit me to share some of my writings and lessons learnt from there,
as it might be of interest and relevance to those who want to take the
idea forward in Goa or elsewhere. As is increasingly becoming clear,
two years after it was enacted... the Right to Information Act (2005)
is a rather powerful law. How it shapes up, of course, depends on what
we makes on it. And, in this battle, information is key. But,
information, if it is not used properly, is pretty useless, as a
colleague was arguing the other day....

So, here goes:

* Fighting for better roads - through information act
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Infrastructure/Fighting_for_bet\
ter_roads_-_through_information_act/articleshow/2058821.cms
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=371863&sid=NAT&ssid=
[Young people launch a campaign in New Delhi]

* RTI Act's effectiveness questioned as complaints pile up
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=43845
[RTI cases are piling up, in New Delhi and the States]

* Government offices not honouring information law: campaigners
http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/may/15/government_offices_not_honouring_\
information_law_campaigners.html
[About the powerful Sec 4 in the law... check it out]

* Plug loopholes, RTI campaigners demand
Making payments easier while applying for information, lack of
nameplates of responsible officers outside government departments,
poor training for government staff, high security making secretariats
inaccessible, and incorporating NGOs by offering them funds, were
among the other issues raised.
http://www.rxpgnews.com/india/Plug-loopholes-RTI-campaigners-demand_27810.shtml

* Nearly a dozen border disputes within India alone!
Illustrations of how the RTI Act is being used by citizens to dig out
information.
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=43803

* Scrutinising the RTI Act, nearly two years later
Overview of issues emerging.
http://www.indianmuslims.info/news/2007/may/13/scrutinising_rti_act_nearly_two_y\
ears_later.html

Check out the RTI mailing list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/humjanenge
Please see how you could make use of this law yourself.
For many more Right to Information news stories, please see

http://newsrack.in/Browse.do?owner=fredericknoronha&issue=Right+to+Information&c\
\
atID=1

FN
--
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