MorungExpress:
Kohima: Saturday, 18 October 2014.
The Nagaland
Information Commission conducted a one day session under the theme ‘RTI and
Role of Media’ coinciding with the celebration of RTI Week 2014 at Hotel Vivor
on October 17.
Chairing the
inaugural programme, Acting Chief Information Commissioner, Kevinino P. Meru
said that there has been an increase in the RTI applications over the year in
Nagaland and that most of the cases are solved at the Public Information
Officer level. She however felt that a lot needs to be done in spreading the
awareness of RTI and sought the help of the media.
Addressing
the Plenary Session on “RTI and Role of Media”, Assistant Editor, Indian Express
Guwahati, Samudra Gupta Kashyap said that the majority of the people have
learnt to use RTI Act because of the media. He said that RTI has made
investigative journalism easier and less risky and journalist can acquire
information by using the RTI Act.
He said media
can primarily play - it has been already playing a major role in promotion of
the RTI Act itself. “Media occupies a very critical place in the process of
governance and acts as a gatekeeper. Media disseminates critical messages to
the citizens and highlights various issues, concerns and initiatives that
affect their lives. Media promotes good governance by facilitating the
collective action of citizens for attaining sustainable socio economic outcome
for the overall and common good of the society,” he added.
Gupta however
viewed that RTI has yet to become part of journalism curriculum in India. Very
little effort has been put in by the authorities to take media on board RTI and
consider it as a force multiplier. When more journalists and media houses start
using RTI, things will be much better, he added.
Former
Information Commissioner, Central Information Commission, New Delhi and
resource person Shailesh Gandhi while delivering the keynote address said that
people in general are not happy with the system of governance in the nation and
the RTI acts as a tool to solve their problems. He said RTI enables the
citizens to find out the information they look for. RTI is a fundamental grain
of the Indian Constitution and citizens should use it to have accountability,
transparency and good governance. He also said that 50 to 60 percent of the
citizens are not aware of the ‘Appeal’ that they can make if they do not get a
satisfactory reply after they apply for the RTI and urged the civil society and
the media to create awareness on RTI and to take it forward, stating that RTI
deepens democracy.
Plenary
Session on “Impact of RTI on Society” was also conducted by Shailesh Gandhi.
The plenary sessions were followed by panel discussion. The closing programme
was chaired by the State Information Commission, Nagaland, Bukchem Phom and
Secretary, Nagaland Information Commission Soyimna Aier Koza delivered the
concluding remarks.
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