“RTIs motivate government officers to work," says this Delhi-based activist

DNA: New Delhi: Wednesday, 09 December 2015.

When this MNC professional is not office-bound, he can be seen running errands to government organisations, including police headquarters, secretariat, and Public Welfare Department offices not by compulsion but by choice.

Science graduate Atul, 31, is a Delhi-based RTI activist in his own right with a keen interest in political issues and social welfare. Associated with an NGO ‘Guru Hanuman Society of India’, Atul has so far filed around 50 Right to Information (RTI) applications along with 11 NGO members to raise voice on issues such as illegal speed breakers in Delhi damaging cars.

After putting two years of extensive efforts, he believes that if the citizens raise their voice, government extends support to them and addresses their problems.

What motivates you to remain curious and keep questioning the government authorities?

When you give it back to the society, it fills you with a sense of self-satisfaction. Engaging oneself into social issues and digging deeper draws you closer towards finding solutions. That’s what motivates me.

How have RTIs filed by you created a change?

Around two years ago, we filed an RTI for the project that had been put on hold for construction of bridge between Sector 18 and Sector 15 of Rohini, over the Munak canal.

We also contacted the concerned departments Municipal Corporation Of Delhi (MCD), Haryana irrigation and coordinated with them on the basis of RTIs we filed. This helped us in finding answers to many of our problems.

Now, the work of the old canal has been completed and the irrigation department of Haryana Government is taking up the matter with Delhi Jal Board (DJB) for the construction of slab in the New Concrete canal.

If we are talking about Delhi specifically, do we need more RTI activists or more transparency?

Transparency in the way of working is paramount, yet RTI activists also help in mounting pressure on government officials to deliver in a stipulated period of time. RTIs probably motivate government officers to deliver better.

When it comes to filing an RTI, do you think that an average citizen would undergo the pain of going through the process or should there be an alternate process such as filing online applications?

Government of India (GOI) has taken an initiative by creating online link of every Department and Ministries. If we want to file an RTI pertaining to matters related to GOI, we could use this facility by paying Rs 10 through Debit card.

For filing RTI in Delhi, we have taken our request to CM Kejriwal who himself is known to have launched the mass movement and within a month’s time, one can file RTIs online.

Also, discussions are going on that online link should be created under “.nic.in” domain name so that the transaction will be coordinated with banks.

What are the challenges that you face while getting a response through RTI?

For the first appeal, it takes 30 days to respond the matters. When we talk about first appeal and the Central Information Commission (CIC), most of the departments do not have CIC department.

Also, the first appellate authorities and CIC offices, don’t have the commissioner. And, I believe Medha Pathak is working on this matter. With time, things will improve.

There is a clause in RTI that if an applicant files information under RTI under section 6(3), it can be transferred to other departments. Have you faced any case, where officials pass the buck?

Yes, I have come across such situations. In such a case, applicant is marked a forwarding letter that reads- ‘This RTI has been received in the office and we don't have this information and we now forwarding to so and so office’.

I strongly believe that this thing should not happen because at the end of the day, applicant wants the information. He does not want to get stuck in the process. Updates regarding the RTI can be informed through e-mails or SMSes instead of postal services.

Also a nodal officer must be appointed who can bridge this gap and coordinate between departments. This proposal has been put forward in several cases but departments don't encourage this.

In states like Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh, RTI activists have often faced life threats ending up asking for protection. Have you come across any such situation?

Issues like financial matters where one asks questions regarding disturbance of monetary funding are sensitive matters that may involve threat.

However, we have mostly questioned the authorities on civic issues and we haven’t touched sensitive issues such as corruption. Our issues are rather related to road safety and the infrastructural development.

How can we improve the process of filing an RTI application and getting a response, according to you?

In today’s time digitalisation of information is very much required and if we digitise the records, process then filing RTIs will also become a convenient and fruitful tool to address the social issues and administrative issues.

How do you think youth can be encouraged to come forth and ask questions to bring about a change like you’re doing?

Youth first needs to identify the issues they want to work on. They can start by first submitting routine letters to government offices.  When they don’t get the response then only they should try getting response by RTI. RTI is a tool which should be exercised by all social activists.