Times of India: Chennai: Wednesday,
August 07, 2013.
For some
residents of Manali, the Right To Information (RTI) Act is a weapon to ensure
they get civic amenities. One of their biggest successes has been getting the
corporation to convert a 2.7-acre dumping yard into a park. It may not be as
well-landscaped as parks in central Chennai but the struggle makes it beautiful
in residents' eyes.
Pointing to
the rectangular walkway, B Thirugnanam, president of TNHB Colony Residents'
Consumer Protection Awareness Welfare Association, said: "It's because of
our unity that we got this park." Tamil Nadu Housing Board had given the
land to the Mathur village panchayat, which used it to dump garbage. "The
panchayat made plans to give the land away. We filed an RTI application in 2006
and found that the land was meant for a park for us," he said. It took
them another five years to get it converted into a park.
RTI also
helped residents reclaim a government school building in MMDA Colony from
antisocial elements. "TNHB had built the school and handed it over to the
education department but they were unaware of it. After our RTI, the department
started a school for 450 students three years ago," he said.
They took the
same path to get a primary health centre on 2nd Main Road in MMDA Colony.
"TNHB had sold a building meant for a hospital to a private individual.
Our RTI application brought it to light and the corporation reclaimed it and
turned it into a hospital," said A Pandiyan, association vicepresident .
They're now fighting to get their community hall opened. "We want basic
facilities from the corporation," said general secretary M Muniasamy.
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