An Interview with Tribune
In a tete-e-tete with The Tribune team, Raman Sharma, RTI activist, talks about RTI as a tool to eradicate corruption
For Raman Sharma, who has put up over 300 RTI applications, the RTI is not just a tool to seek information, it is a magic wand that can be used to eradicate corruption as well as a means of lodging a democratic protest.
“If we want the government to take action in the larger interest of the public, we can flood them with RTI applications on one issue. The pressure will make the government act,” he says while talking to The Tribune team during an interaction.
A research scholar Mahesh Kaul from the Faculty of Management Studies, Jammu University and Arvind Sharma, a sociologist, also joined the interaction.
Following are the excerpts:
Jupinderjit Singh (JS): What inspired you to utilise RTI for seeking information?
Raman Sharma (RS): It all began from Jammu railway station. While seeing off a relative, I saw domestic cylinders being used by vendors at the platform. I asked station superintendent about the misuse as Jammuites were facing a shortage of LPG cylinders. He rendered me speechless by asking what authority I had to question him.
A year later, RTI came into being and I put up an application to the Indian Railways. It had an immediate impact as vendors had to use commercial cylinders within few days. That officer too would have known that a common citizen had the authority to ask questions.
Sunaina Kaul (SK): What is the process for filing a RTI application?
RS: There are two acts, one is Central RTI Act, 2005, and another is the J&K RTI Act, 2009.
For Central RTI Act, an applicant can file an application on a plain paper with a nominal fee of Rs 10 only which can be paid via postal order or in cash to the department or other permissible mode. Even if an applicant is not aware of the address of the public information officer (PIO) concerned, application may also be filed with any PIO, who becomes liable to forward it to the competent authorities. The best is to give the application at a local post office where the PIO post office would forward the application on its own. Then, all departments have websites on which they have given addresses of PIOs.
Under the JK RTI Act, an application is to be submitted with a fee of Rs 50 either in the shape of IPO or stamp papers. The rest of the procedure is the same, but here the PIOs usually do not accept the application if it does not pertain to their department.
Arvind Sharma (sociologist): How can illiterate and blind persons make use of the RTI?
RS: They are equally empowered. The PIOs in every government department are duty bound to make arrangements for applications on behalf of illiterate, blind or other physically challenged persons. There is a provision to give them verbal reply also, if the applicant opts for that.
DM: What has been your area of focus in filing RTI applications. From which departments have you sought more information?
RS: I have never filed any application for personal reason. My only aim is to file applications in the interest of the general public. There is no question of targeting any particular department. I have filed applications only to serve interest of the common masses. For example, the Income Tax Department takes 24 or even 36 months to refund excess tax deducted at source. We are generally unaware that they have to return it within 60 days. When I put an application on behalf of a person, the refund came in 17 days.
Mahesh Kaul (research scholar): What has been your joyous moment with the RTI?
RS: I applied for the copy of the FIR of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. When I got it, I was elated. You would be surprised to know that by that time even the National Archives of India did not have the copy of the same.
JJS: From your experience, tell us how powerful the Right to Information is and how best can we use it?
RS: I often say that the RTI is a magic wand in the hand of common citizens of the country, who were earlier deprived of any authority to ask questions from the government. Today, you can not only ask a government official, minister or department to answer your query but also force them to take action. Wherever I go to spread awareness, I tell people to file applications in a group. Like, just few days ago, I have decided to build a pressure for the restoration work of Mubarak Mandi. The work is going on too slow. I have put up an application seeking details of the delay and the cost escalation. I have also arranged that 50 persons would file similar queries. This will surely force the government to act so that they don’t have to keep answering people daily.
But one must take care on how to use the information. We have to remember that RTI is a mean but not an end to the problem. The information received is the real power and how best we use it would help us in solving problems concerning the public.
Sunaina Kaul (SK): How was your experience in filing RTI with the Centre government departments and applications with the state?
Raman: Pretty bad with the state government. You would be surprised to know that out of over 300, I have filed around 20 RTI applications in various departments like the Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority and the Regional Transport Office, but there is no response. This is more painful for me as the state was probably the only one in the country where citizens had the right to ask questions during the princely era. There was a system of “sawaal lagana” (making a query) in which common citizens asked the then officials. Usually, they asked questions from the revenue department. The most shocking experience was that when I went to the RTO office, the officer concerned was unaware about the RTI Act and about his duties and responsibilities as PIO. Also, JK residents have so far put just 534 applications, the state that enjoys the status of being at no. 2 in corruption, 534 applications are negligible. The Centre government departments are well oiled in this regard and I am totally satisfied with their speedy response and replies in nearly all the applications.
JJS: What do you do with the information?
RS: I preserve some with me for future use or for asking more information or I share with the media if it deserves an exposure. But I don’t share information that can lead to law and order problem. Generally, my information is regarding an unfinished work and the moment the work is done, it is a closed chapter for me.
Ashutosh Sharma (AS): There is no chairperson for the State Information Commission. Is it affecting the movement?
Raman: It is true that the SIC is headless and has therefore disappointed people over a period of time. Unless a person is appointed, action against officials not furnishing information cannot be taken.
Dinesh Manhotra (DM): What is the provision if any department provides wrong information?
RS: In the RTI Act, there is a provision of penalty if any officer provides wrong information. One can approach even the information commissioner concerned in such case.
Mahesh Kaul: As you are aware, ours is a sensitive state with regional aspirations proving stronger than general public cause. Have you seen some change in the RTI applications between Jammu region and Kashmir region?
RS: It is up to the applicant that what he wants to ask. Unless the national interest is not harmed, he is free to seek any information and details.
JSS: If you are allowed to amend both RTI Acts, what would be your attributions and depletions?
RS: As far as the Central RTI Act is concerned, I do not find any lacuna. But there is a lot to do with the J&K RTI Act. The state government should allow the use the Act even to non-state subjects. Application fee od Rs 50 is excess amount for a common citizen, especially students. There should also be a provision for punitive actions against officers who deliberately ignore the provisions of the Act. Lastly, RTI applicants should be ensured security, if required.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100515/jkplus.htm
TEA WITH THE TRIBUNE ‘RTI is a magic wand for commoners’ Raman Sharma, RTI activist
In a tete-e-tete with The Tribune team, Raman Sharma, RTI activist, talks about RTI as a tool to eradicate corruption
“If we want the government to take action in the larger interest of the public, we can flood them with RTI applications on one issue. The pressure will make the government act,” he says while talking to The Tribune team during an interaction.
A research scholar Mahesh Kaul from the Faculty of Management Studies, Jammu University and Arvind Sharma, a sociologist, also joined the interaction.
Following are the excerpts:
Jupinderjit Singh (JS): What inspired you to utilise RTI for seeking information?
Raman Sharma (RS): It all began from Jammu railway station. While seeing off a relative, I saw domestic cylinders being used by vendors at the platform. I asked station superintendent about the misuse as Jammuites were facing a shortage of LPG cylinders. He rendered me speechless by asking what authority I had to question him.
A year later, RTI came into being and I put up an application to the Indian Railways. It had an immediate impact as vendors had to use commercial cylinders within few days. That officer too would have known that a common citizen had the authority to ask questions.
Sunaina Kaul (SK): What is the process for filing a RTI application?
RS: There are two acts, one is Central RTI Act, 2005, and another is the J&K RTI Act, 2009.
For Central RTI Act, an applicant can file an application on a plain paper with a nominal fee of Rs 10 only which can be paid via postal order or in cash to the department or other permissible mode. Even if an applicant is not aware of the address of the public information officer (PIO) concerned, application may also be filed with any PIO, who becomes liable to forward it to the competent authorities. The best is to give the application at a local post office where the PIO post office would forward the application on its own. Then, all departments have websites on which they have given addresses of PIOs.
Under the JK RTI Act, an application is to be submitted with a fee of Rs 50 either in the shape of IPO or stamp papers. The rest of the procedure is the same, but here the PIOs usually do not accept the application if it does not pertain to their department.
Arvind Sharma (sociologist): How can illiterate and blind persons make use of the RTI?
RS: They are equally empowered. The PIOs in every government department are duty bound to make arrangements for applications on behalf of illiterate, blind or other physically challenged persons. There is a provision to give them verbal reply also, if the applicant opts for that.
DM: What has been your area of focus in filing RTI applications. From which departments have you sought more information?
RS: I have never filed any application for personal reason. My only aim is to file applications in the interest of the general public. There is no question of targeting any particular department. I have filed applications only to serve interest of the common masses. For example, the Income Tax Department takes 24 or even 36 months to refund excess tax deducted at source. We are generally unaware that they have to return it within 60 days. When I put an application on behalf of a person, the refund came in 17 days.
Mahesh Kaul (research scholar): What has been your joyous moment with the RTI?
RS: I applied for the copy of the FIR of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. When I got it, I was elated. You would be surprised to know that by that time even the National Archives of India did not have the copy of the same.
JJS: From your experience, tell us how powerful the Right to Information is and how best can we use it?
RS: I often say that the RTI is a magic wand in the hand of common citizens of the country, who were earlier deprived of any authority to ask questions from the government. Today, you can not only ask a government official, minister or department to answer your query but also force them to take action. Wherever I go to spread awareness, I tell people to file applications in a group. Like, just few days ago, I have decided to build a pressure for the restoration work of Mubarak Mandi. The work is going on too slow. I have put up an application seeking details of the delay and the cost escalation. I have also arranged that 50 persons would file similar queries. This will surely force the government to act so that they don’t have to keep answering people daily.
But one must take care on how to use the information. We have to remember that RTI is a mean but not an end to the problem. The information received is the real power and how best we use it would help us in solving problems concerning the public.
Sunaina Kaul (SK): How was your experience in filing RTI with the Centre government departments and applications with the state?
Raman: Pretty bad with the state government. You would be surprised to know that out of over 300, I have filed around 20 RTI applications in various departments like the Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority and the Regional Transport Office, but there is no response. This is more painful for me as the state was probably the only one in the country where citizens had the right to ask questions during the princely era. There was a system of “sawaal lagana” (making a query) in which common citizens asked the then officials. Usually, they asked questions from the revenue department. The most shocking experience was that when I went to the RTO office, the officer concerned was unaware about the RTI Act and about his duties and responsibilities as PIO. Also, JK residents have so far put just 534 applications, the state that enjoys the status of being at no. 2 in corruption, 534 applications are negligible. The Centre government departments are well oiled in this regard and I am totally satisfied with their speedy response and replies in nearly all the applications.
JJS: What do you do with the information?
RS: I preserve some with me for future use or for asking more information or I share with the media if it deserves an exposure. But I don’t share information that can lead to law and order problem. Generally, my information is regarding an unfinished work and the moment the work is done, it is a closed chapter for me.
Ashutosh Sharma (AS): There is no chairperson for the State Information Commission. Is it affecting the movement?
Raman: It is true that the SIC is headless and has therefore disappointed people over a period of time. Unless a person is appointed, action against officials not furnishing information cannot be taken.
Dinesh Manhotra (DM): What is the provision if any department provides wrong information?
RS: In the RTI Act, there is a provision of penalty if any officer provides wrong information. One can approach even the information commissioner concerned in such case.
Mahesh Kaul: As you are aware, ours is a sensitive state with regional aspirations proving stronger than general public cause. Have you seen some change in the RTI applications between Jammu region and Kashmir region?
RS: It is up to the applicant that what he wants to ask. Unless the national interest is not harmed, he is free to seek any information and details.
JSS: If you are allowed to amend both RTI Acts, what would be your attributions and depletions?
RS: As far as the Central RTI Act is concerned, I do not find any lacuna. But there is a lot to do with the J&K RTI Act. The state government should allow the use the Act even to non-state subjects. Application fee od Rs 50 is excess amount for a common citizen, especially students. There should also be a provision for punitive actions against officers who deliberately ignore the provisions of the Act. Lastly, RTI applicants should be ensured security, if required.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100515/jkplus.htm
