DeccanChronicle; Wednesday October 13, 2010
Hyderabad, Oct. 12: The state has given a firm assurance that it will protect whistle blowers who in the past have been attacked and even killed for daring to expose corruption in high places.
Speaking at a seminar on the RTI Act here on Monday, the special chief secretary (general administration department), Ms Minni Mathews, said the district collectors and SPs have been directed to take serious note of any attack on whistle blowers. The police will immediately book cases against people attacking them, she said.
Ms Mathews said the RTI was a tool to eradicate corruption. The Chief Information Commissioner, Mr Jannat Hussain, said the Commission had responded to reports of attacks against whistle blowers. Information Commissioner Mr Dileep Reddy has been inquiring into these incidents, he said.
Mr Hussain also favoured some changes in the RTI Act that would enable public information officers to use the money collected for the purpose for which it was collected providing copies of documents sought by the applicant
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