Leading RTI revolution
RTI activist Harinesh Pandya endeavours to steer and guide people through the movement for transparency
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Monday, February 10, 2014 http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20140210201402100149098598acb4b6e/Leading-RTI-revolution.html
When the Right to Information (RTI) Act came into existence in 2005, many people considered it as a second Independence of sorts – this time independence from corruption. Almost 10 years later, the RTI is on its way to becoming a revolution against the corrupt system, thanks to activists like Harinesh Pandya who have been encouraging people to make optimum use of the tool.
Pandya’s initiative to help people use RTI has given birth to the ‘Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel’, a forum of organisations and activists working to spread awareness on RTI. The forum has so far helped more than two lakh people use RTI effectively. These beneficiaries also include government officials who were ignorant of RTI rules.
“After RTI was implemented, there was a lot of confusion among the officials and applicants regarding the rules of RTI and how to use it,” said Pandya. He helped clear the confusion and came up with unique ways to spread awareness about the Act. To spread awareness in rural areas, Pandya launched ‘RTI on wheels’ last year. Through his ceaseless endeavour, he helped people use RTI Act to bring transparency in the system.
“RTI on Wheels is a small van which goes to villages and educates people about the Act. We enlighten them that the Act has been implemented for their benefit. This Act empowers the people to experience democracy like never before. It gives them the power to ask questions about governance that affects them or had stumped them till now. The agencies that come under the purview of the Act are bound by the law to give a proper reply. The van has already travelled to different places in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh,” Pandya said.
Right to Information also has a unique helpline, thanks to Pandya. He said, “Around 70 per cent of the calls to this helpline are from the state, while other 30 per cent are from Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Assam.” Most of the calls on the helpline are from rural Gujarat, where lack of literacy and awareness means people want to reach out to somebody who can show them the way. People can call on 099240 85000 for RTI related queries.
“We would receive calls from officials who, initially, didn’t know what to do with the RTI pleas. We also receive calls from villagers about theirproblems, mostly related to land or financial matters,” Pandya said. After the success of the RTI on wheels and the helpline, Pandya is all set to launch a mini bus with a small office and living arrangements for the volunteers so that a team can travel across the country to spread awareness about the RTI.
Pandya said, “RTI is an excellent tool to bring change in the society. I encourage youth and the lesser privileged people to use the RTI Act to know their rights and point out the problems in the system.” A former drama teacher at Shreyas Foundation, Pandya has also worked voluntarily for ‘Trade Union movement’ for 18 years and had even played an important role in the rescue and rehabilitation operations during the 2001 earthquake in the state. Pandya is also connected to Janpath – an organisation working for the right to information.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Monday, February 10, 2014 http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20140210201402100149098598acb4b6e/Leading-RTI-revolution.html
When the Right to Information (RTI) Act came into existence in 2005, many people considered it as a second Independence of sorts – this time independence from corruption. Almost 10 years later, the RTI is on its way to becoming a revolution against the corrupt system, thanks to activists like Harinesh Pandya who have been encouraging people to make optimum use of the tool.
Pandya’s initiative to help people use RTI has given birth to the ‘Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel’, a forum of organisations and activists working to spread awareness on RTI. The forum has so far helped more than two lakh people use RTI effectively. These beneficiaries also include government officials who were ignorant of RTI rules.
“After RTI was implemented, there was a lot of confusion among the officials and applicants regarding the rules of RTI and how to use it,” said Pandya. He helped clear the confusion and came up with unique ways to spread awareness about the Act. To spread awareness in rural areas, Pandya launched ‘RTI on wheels’ last year. Through his ceaseless endeavour, he helped people use RTI Act to bring transparency in the system.
“RTI on Wheels is a small van which goes to villages and educates people about the Act. We enlighten them that the Act has been implemented for their benefit. This Act empowers the people to experience democracy like never before. It gives them the power to ask questions about governance that affects them or had stumped them till now. The agencies that come under the purview of the Act are bound by the law to give a proper reply. The van has already travelled to different places in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh,” Pandya said.
Right to Information also has a unique helpline, thanks to Pandya. He said, “Around 70 per cent of the calls to this helpline are from the state, while other 30 per cent are from Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Assam.” Most of the calls on the helpline are from rural Gujarat, where lack of literacy and awareness means people want to reach out to somebody who can show them the way. People can call on 099240 85000 for RTI related queries.
“We would receive calls from officials who, initially, didn’t know what to do with the RTI pleas. We also receive calls from villagers about theirproblems, mostly related to land or financial matters,” Pandya said. After the success of the RTI on wheels and the helpline, Pandya is all set to launch a mini bus with a small office and living arrangements for the volunteers so that a team can travel across the country to spread awareness about the RTI.
Pandya said, “RTI is an excellent tool to bring change in the society. I encourage youth and the lesser privileged people to use the RTI Act to know their rights and point out the problems in the system.” A former drama teacher at Shreyas Foundation, Pandya has also worked voluntarily for ‘Trade Union movement’ for 18 years and had even played an important role in the rescue and rehabilitation operations during the 2001 earthquake in the state. Pandya is also connected to Janpath – an organisation working for the right to information.
