Kashmir Life: Srinagar: Thursday,
March 23, 2017.
J&K RTI
Movement and CHRI on Wednesday organized an event to present the findings of
the study of compliance with proactive information disclosure under J&K RTI
Act in Baramulla.
J&K RTI
Movement members, Adv Syed Iram Quadri and Adv Bilal Ahmad Bhat presented the
findings of their study of the state of compliance of 230 public authorities
across J&K with the mandatory requirement of proactive information
disclosure at Baramulla today. The audience comprised of RTI activists, social
activists and lawyers.
Dr Shaikh
Ghulam Rasool, Chairperson J&K RTI Movement explained method of rooting out
misuse of RTI is for government to spread awareness about the law amongst the
public. He explained the procedures for giving information from application
stage onwards with focus on detailed procedures for seeking information.
Venkatesh
Nayak Program Coordinator-Access to Information, CHRI New Delhi said that it
was a privilege to visit Baramulla, the hub of initial RTI activism in J&K.
It is imperative to protect and safeguard RTI law in J&K and I can see only
activists of J&K RTI Movement, students and lawyers doing it, he said.
Considering Baramulla an intellectual hub, we expect more young and senior
citizens to come forward and use the law to demand transparency in governemnt’s
decision-making processes, particularly with the spending of taxpayers’ money.
He also added, that compliance with the J&K RTI Act requiring more and more
proactive disclosure of information is still not satisfactory in a majority of
the public authorities in J&K.