By Lavanya Srinivasan Published: June 02 2010
The RTI Act is a revolutionary weapon in the hands of public and if used the right way, it can bring about a change in the society. Vivek Deveshwar, a city based software consultant is doing his bit to popularize the Act among citizens in Bangalore.
Only about 10 per cent of India’s 1.2 billion population is said to be aware of the Right to Information (RTI) Act which grants citizens the right to access government documents.
Nevertheless, its power and potential is unmatched. For a small fee, any Indian, can step up to the government agency and take his or her shot. Vivek Deveshwar an RTI activist is doing his bit in Bangalore to popularize the RTI act.
Vivek, who is a software consultant, became an RTI activist about a year ago and ever since he’s filed 20 Right to Information (RTI) applications and is now trying to spread awareness in his neighborhood. “The RTI act is a harbinger of change. We can make a difference if we know how to use it. People often complain about the lack of action by government and local bodies but I realized that if we don’t take matters in hand, nothing will come out of it. So I started conducting RTI classes in my neighborhood on weekend and so far nearly 10-15 people have benefited from it,”
“The Right To Information act is a revolutionary weapon in the hands of public and this would go a long way to bring responsibility, transparency and accountability in functioning of all public institutions and departments in the country,” Says Vivek.
“The RTI act is a harbinger of change. We can make a difference if we know how to use it." - Vivek Deveshwar, RTI Guru
Vivek conducted RTI classes for nearly two months and his classes have helped several people in his neighborhood understand the functioning of the local bodies better. “We had a problem in our area regarding speed breakers, these speed breakers haven’t been painted and it’s difficult to spot them in the night. So in one of the classes we filed an RTI to know about the budget allocated for speed breakers and when these speed breakers will be painted. Now a lot of people in the locality are aware of this act and its benefits,” Explains Vivek.
According to Vivek, RTI can be used for personal problems as well; he says “You can use RTI for income tax refunds, consumer rights and if your passport has been delayed, you can get to know the status by filing an RTI,”
When quipped about effectiveness of RTI, he says “The awareness has increased a lot and more and more people are coming forward to seek information. However, the official apathy and the delayed response of the information commission to adjudicate RTI appeals and complain discourage people. But it is very effective in bringing about a change in the society,”
In his classes, Vivek touches upon various topics. His classes usually last for an hour, he says “During these sessions, I give a detailed description about the act, examples of the act; I tell them how to find the Public Information Officer (PIO) and how to draft RTI questions. I also provide templates, and some examples of RTI’s I've filed. As of now I’ve stopped the classes but if there is a demand, I will revive them,”
Vivek has an active website dedicated to RTI, where he shares all the information about the landmark act. “I started this blog just about two months ago; I keep it updated with all the details about the act. We still have a long way to go to spread awareness to our young population. To start with, children should be educated about RTI’s as there is no age limit to file an RTI,” Says Vivek.
What is the RTI Act?
The RTI Act emerged out of a long struggle by civil society groups. Poor, illiterate, marginalized and vulnerable sections of society are meant to be its main beneficiaries. The Act is aimed at stopping those bad practices in government that that lead to corruption and injustice and slow the pace of real development. It is being seen as a cure for a lot that is wrong with present-day governance.
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