Implementation of Right to Information Act - More Intensive Collaborative Efforts Required

I was happy to participate in the Inaugural Session of the State Level RTI Convention held at Rourkela on 24th September. It has been organised by the Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhiyan ( Rourkela Chapter ) . The Chief Speaker was Mrs. Aruna Roy. I shared the Podium with Mr. Sahdev Sahoo ( ex-Chief Secretary ) and Mr. Gopal Nanda ( ex-DGP), Dr. Akshay Samal and Mr. Pradeep Pradhan. It was a great feeling to share some thoughts with the RTI Activists. It was an impressive show by the organisers. Thanks to the activists in and around Rourkela.

It is heartening to see that so many RTI Activiists are there to take forward the implementation of the RTI Act and share a collective vision envisaged by Mrs. Aruna Roy and her colleagues in the RTI Movement. There are many challenges but they have to be overcome. Mrs. Aruna Roy gave a call to work om one or two cross cutting issues in which all the activists across the country will be involved. We all agree that to sustain the Democracy in its true form in this country, one of the most non-violent and powerful tools have been the RTI Act.We all have to use it. We all have to defend that attack on the Act and those whistle-blowers who have been using the Act for a cause.

In my address I also suggested strategies which could make the whole process more broad-based. One thing which has not drawn much attention so far is the Section 4(1) (a), (b) of the RTI Act indicating Suo Motto and Proactive  disclosure by the Public Authorities. All the activists are working like WHISTLE-BLOWERS and are in a confrontation mood with the administration. It is inevitable that barring a few in the administration, most of the authorities stonewall the process of providing information. The activists have to run from pillars to posts to seek and get quality information. They run to the Information Commission but perhaps do not get an immediate hearing. In Kashipur, ordinary people file RTI Applications and they have to run 20 times from far away places to the Government Offices and get frustrated. The Officials also often mock these Information Seekers. Thus,  Confrontation becomes inevitable. This approach is valid to some extent but will not take the RTI Activists very far.

Under Suo Motto Disclosure, the Public Authorities  are bound to share information in public domain. A close look at section 4(1) and the provisions indicate that information has to be shared at all levels. The ordinary citizens must be given all the required and relevant information by these Public Authorities about numerous Schemes and Programmes, Acts and Policies, and the proposed Acts and Policies. The sharing information in the Internet is not enough. It should be available to the people at door step. The RI Act should not be confined to the Civil Societies but to one and all including the Government, Corporate, NGOs , Media and Political Parties etc. who are termed as Public Authorities.  This requires a Collaborative Framework and an act of moral persuasion notwithstanding the legal provisions. We the Civil Society Activists have to have greater interface with the Public Authorities so that there would be more sharing of information.

We do need the support of retired Govt. officials in the RTI Fora but we also need the serving officers. Imagine the impact, if in the inaugural function, the current  Chief Secretary and the DGP are sharing the Podium and are addressing the RTI Activists. That would have made much more sense and would have given the right kind of message.

To make the RTI movement in Odisha a success , to my mind, both the strategies - Confrontation and Collaboration - have to be institutionalised. I am sure Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhiyan will take note of my suggestions.

LETS SHED THIS HYPOCRISY

The recent tragic deaths of 25 children in Chhapra, Bihar due to the insecticide poisoning of the mid-day meal and also food-poisoning of mid-day meal at several places in the country have raised many questions on MDM- management, quantity and quality, appropriateness of cooked food and overall approach to Nutrition Security of our children.

We provide food to our children in Mukta Gyana Kutir but with a difference. We do not provide cheap food. We ensure quality and quantity, taste and timing, the joy of giving and sharing. During summer, the children have ragi porridge in the morning as the morning classes start followed by a lunch. The children get some seasonal vegetables/spinach every Saturday to add to the MDM. The children have a plot in the campus to grow their vegetables to make curries. The teachers are joining the children for food. The School Management Committee consisting of parents discuss the MDM in their meetings appreciate that their children are always looking healthy and happy.

The MDM and its management is a collective responsibility and can not be simply the responsibilities of the teachers and the Government. If there is so much discussion on fighting malnutrition among the children, why can't there be adequate provisions to ensure quality and quantity? Why it will be cheap? Why there will be scams in MDM? Why there will be insecticides in the MDM? All these are indicative that we do not love our children though we advertise that they are the future of our Country. Utter Hypocrisy!

Mrs. Tulsi Munda gets Doctorate and Mrs. Sumani Jhodia faces Non-bailable Warrant: Two Manifestations of Tribal Development

We all congratulate Mrs. Tulsi Munda , the well-known tribal woman leader of Odisha for getting an Honorary Doctorate from the Central University, Koraput. She has been recipient of many awards including Padmashree. She is one of  the most well-known face of the tribals in Odisha and has been on the podium of many events organised by the Government, Corporate and the Civil Societies. She is the symbol of the crowning glory that an humble tribal can achieve. She has also become the spokesperson of the tribals on many an occasion expressing views on mining and industrialisation, displacement and development, identity and culture and many more. The Government has always sought her opinion in many issues. The ruling power elite have always wanted to put her on the pedestal and have made her iconic. But her critics have questioned her when she has kept mum over many sensitive issues affecting tribal lives and livelihoods. Questions have been raised when she gives an impression of being co-opted by the establishment. Eyebrows have been raised when the entire corporate sectors support her organisation with financial grants, vehicles, buildings, manpower and other infra-structural support.  Whatever it may be she has to be praised for her ability to rise to the occasion and be a leader of her community. Surely, there will be many laurels coming in  Mrs. Tulsi Munda’s way in future. It is already written on the wall.

Mrs. Sumani Jhodia came to the lime light when late Chief Minister Biju Patnaik had appointed her as one of her Advisers in early 90s recognising her articulation and her profile of courage. Coming from a modest Paraja Community she was in the forefront of many struggles and movements  fighting for her rights, entitlements and justice. Once she was given the Police Power by the Government to stop liquor business and she broke many liquor shops with the help of tribal women of her area. She had taken up a range of issues in support of the tribals for rights over land, minor forest produce, tribal self-rule, right to information and for development with dignity for her community. Once late Biju Patnaik offered her a vehicle and she refused politely saying that an ambulance should come to her local hospital. She got prestigious Stree Shakti Award from the Government which she used for the development of her community. In the Tribes Advisory Council she had opposed the transfer of Tribal Land and collided with the power that be resulting in the  loss of her membership. She refused an Award by Nalco protesting the Maikanch  Police firing in Dec 2000 killing three innocent tribes. Due to the conspiracy by the promoters of industry, Jhodias  have lost the tribal status though they are Parajas. Mrs. Suman Jhodia is running from pillar to post to get back her tribal status and secure justice. At the moment she is on bail from the High Court as  she has been implicated in non-bailable cases. Two cases are related to anti-liquor campaign. The third case is where she led a group of people to Block Office to demand better implementation of various development programmes of the Government. She is a symbolic resistance to the attack on all the tribals of this country.     

The Tribals  to day are at a cross-road – whether to follow the foot steps of  Mrs. Tulsi Munda or Mrs. Sumani Jhodia. The choice is absolutely theirs.