Workshop on RTI held for creating awareness.

Times of India: Trichy: Monday, June 05, 2023.

A workshop for residents and civic activists on the appropriate way to seek information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act was conducted in Trichy on Sunday. Experts trained the residents on accessing information including crucial data under the RTI Act to create awareness among public and to expose the malpractices. “Data and statistics are important to substantiate the claims of whistleblowers, to raise corruption complaints and other misconducts in executing projects implemented through the taxpayers’ money. By using the RTI data, people can attract the attention of senior bureaucrats to resolve longstanding issues,” M Prem Kumar, convenor of the event said.

The one-day workshop jointly organised by the 10 rupees movement, the federation of Trichy residents’ welfare associations, and Inaindha Kaigal association at Mukkulathor school in Thiruverumbur saw around 75 participants from various parts of the state. The participants were encouraged to utilise the RTI Act if their petitions or requests seeking information were turned down by the local officials in both state and Union government departments. Trainers said that the applicants under the RTI Act must be specific while seeking information and should not ask for information that cannot be provided under the act. “More such workshops are needed, particularly to train students. People-oriented issues can be resolved by using the RTI Act, if the information was denied, the applicants were also trained on how to go for an appeal,” Tesma Veerapandian, state deputy general secretary of the 10 rupees movement said.