Camp at Dadar station promotes sunshine law
WHEN it’s time to promote the use of a sunshine law to demand accountability
in governance, there can be no larger audience than at a busy railway
station. That’s why the Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT), an NGO
supported by the Ratan Tata Trust, organised a one day Right to Information
(RTI) camp at Dadar station on Friday.
Spearheaded by project manager Shabnam Siddiqui, the camp is the second
phase of the RTI camp. The first phase included seminars and workshops to
spread general awareness.
“People need assistance on how to actually use the right to information.
They may not file a RTI application, but they will be more aware and will
take the initiative to do something the next time.”
The volunteers filled out ‘issue concern forms’, where people detailed the
issues in their locality. “We will analyse these forms and identify one
major problem. Since we have their contact numbers, we will keep calling
them till they file a RTI application to the concerned authority, asking for
information. We are here to guide them,” said Siddiqui.
Nandini Sardesai, a member of the Board of trustees at PCGT, believes this
is an effective strategy. “People want to do something, but do not know how
to go about it. We have targeted common citizens but it is important to
focus on college students as well,” she said.
Most issues stated in the 40-odd forms pertained to load shedding, water
shortage and poor pre-monsoon preparations. “Only five per cent people
actually know about RTI. So, we have given them an information booklet
explaining the salient features of the Act. Now, it is up to the people to
act,” says Nivas S Nanaware, project coordinator.
Vidyadhar Sawant, who happened to stop by at the camp out of curiosity,
agreed: “Constructive change can take place only when people do something.”
Others were somewhat skeptical, though. “Through RTI, we’ll just get
information. We cannot get the government to work,” said Ashutosh Yawale, a
22-year-old student.