News Today: Chennai: Wednesday,
February 01, 2017.
Senthil Nagar
Youth and Residents Welfare Association in Villivakkam, Chennai, is on a
mission. Public welfare is the focus of its office-bearers. The association
president G Abyverghese thinks one of the ways to do is by using the RTI Act.
He told 'News
Today',that he kept his association moving since its inception and how using
RTI brought development of his area.
Senthil Nagar
is an area in Kolathur in Chennai where either serving of retired employees of
ICF, Railways and other reputed private companies live. Soon after this area
was formed, things were not that smooth here. The main problem was water
stagnation.
"Every
rainy season, the locality would suffer massive floods and water would be
stagnant for months, posing a number of hurdles for residents.
"Being a
low-lying area, water would remain stagnant for about three months after the
rains. Senthil Nagar was once what SIDCO Nagar in Villivakkam is right
now," he said.
So efforts to
solve the problems began. "The approach is very simple, first, they would
write letters to all officials concerned from the lowest to the highest level,
which would then be followed by filing RTI applications on the status of their
complaints, in case the grievances were not resolved.
"Initially
we began writing letters to authorities explaining our problems. When the
response did not arrive, they would go about filing an RTI application.
"With
regard to the installation of LED streetlights. I filed an RTI application in
November last year seeking information about how many were sanctioned for Zone
6 of Chennai Corporation of which our locality is a part of.
"Soon
after that streets and main roads in the area were fitted with LED lamps. I can
say with pride that our area is the only location in Kolathur where even
interior streets have LED lamps.
Another
example is operation of mini-buses. "We filed an RTI application to know
about the small buses sanctioned for Chennai and did a follow- up. The result
is that we have three services, namely S-43, S-44 that connects our locality to
Perambur, Pudur and Korattur. We also came to know the S-43 is the mini bus
route in Chennai with highest collection through an RTI filing.
"That is
not all, the 16 streets and three main roads in Senthil Nagar have good
blue-metal topped roads. Also, the credit for a functional ration shop should
go to the RTI method," Abyverghese added.
"So far
I have filed 4,855 RTI, emerged successful in 4000. I receive praise from Delhi
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is said to be one of those instrumental in
RTI Act coming into being."
He signed off
by urging judicious use of RTI keeping the people's requirements in mind.