DNA: Ahmedabad: Friday, December 18, 2015.
The legal
clinic run by Janpath in the city has helped over 4,000 people to file
applications under RTI Act 2005. It has also helped people over issues like
loss of job, property and retirement benefits.
Mahiti
Adhikar Gujarat Pahel’s coordinator Pankti Jog, who is one of the persons
handling the legal clinic, informed, “We have handled 4,300 cases of which 450
satisfactory answers have been obtained.”
The clinic
operates every Saturday between 4 and 6 pm and over 10-15 people come each week
to seek help either to file fresh applications under RTI Act, appeal in case of
non disclosure of information by public information officer (PIO) when
information is asked for and also to help citizens to go in for a second
appeal. If all fails, applicants are also encouraged to apply to the state
information commission.
Harinesh
Pandya, RTI activist, who was instrumental in starting the clinic and a RTI
helpline said, “After the act was implemented, we wanted to ensure that people
are made aware of it and to teach them how to use it. We wanted to show people
that they can draft their own applications without help of any lawyer or legal
expert.”
Since the
helpline is publicised in a well-known Gujarati newspaper, they receive
thousands of calls annually. But for those applicants who need specific help,
they approach the clinic. The clinic has nine people, including three women,
volunteering as paralegals to offer advice to those who come to the clinic.
Those who are volunteering are Pankyi, Sadhana Pandya, Kushi Pandya, Jatin Seth
and Harinesh. Three advocates also volunteer their services.
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