By Malika Sarabhai
DNA, 22/April/2012
I recently wrote in this column about two cases where individual efforts to fight corruption and inefficient system brought results.
Alas, it is fraught with difficulties and sometimes danger.
Manjulaben Vaghela lives in Pardhol village in Dascroi taluka. She for past four years has been trying to get an electricity connection for her chhapra. Starting with the GEB, she has appealed to everyone concerned including the CM's secretariat. This has caused her loss of work and pay for many days. Exasperated but not defeated, she finally filed an RTI with TDO of Dascroi seeking information about total grants her village was eligible for and what had been spent and how. She also asked for information on government's directive to get a new list of BPL people in the village.
Manjulaben received no response and no information and thus she appealed. A few days after the appeal, Talati wrote a letter to her saying that she was living in a chhapra that was illegal and that she has to vacate it immediately. And that she must stop wasting their time by asking for information. She filed another complaint with RTI commissioner and awaits a judgement. This feisty and energetic lady then filed her papers for the Gram Panchayat elections. With no money and no support, she was defeated by a well-healed and well-connected person.
So what rights does Manjulaben as a citizen of India have? Can she be threatened into silence by the nexus between the rich and the politically connected? Given that laws are being broken, is there a system which can and should punish them?
Under section (4) 1c of the Right to Information (RTI) act, every gram panchayat is supposed to make public information of grants it receives and how that money is spent. How many do it? If you know of anyone, I would like to know about them. They deserve recognition and congratulations.
And now back to my brave friend Kirit Solanki. Another battle he has been fighting for a long time is with his 'un'cooperative housing society - yes, I purposefully call it that as there is no cooperation in that society. The promoters, who own several houses there, have been illegally expanding it for years. Then, they started encroaching on common grounds. If anyone dares to raise a voice against them, they are threatened with hockey-stick wielding men.
The promoters now have control of all common plots but they are not just encroaching, but building additional houses as well. Kirit took this matter up, first with them and then with the municipal commissioner. He was asked to wait for a month for AMC was looking into the matter. But, nothing happened. The building and digging continue.
Then AMC passed a rule for legalising illegal construction. The commissioner told Kirit that common plots do not fall in this category. He waited some more. Then he was told to go to the zonal office. Two days ago, the road upto the society was dug up making it dangerous for everyone. When he and his wife asked for it to be filled, they were told that the promoters had all the information about the complaints filed to AMC and that they would be beaten up by goondas if they didn't shut up. His wife too was threatened by the men who behaved aggressively with her.
Fearing for their own lives and that of their child, they have filed a police complaint. What happens next is worth watching for here is a perfect example of how all of us are constantly harassed and beaten into submission by goonda elements and people who break rules and laws with impunity. Let us wait and watch if AMC and the police do the right thing or whether the culture of bribing and political clout wins. Watch this space.
mallika@darpana.com
mallika@darpana.com
Malika Sarabhai, the writer is a noted danseuse and social activist
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