Generally, when you go to a Govt. office to get some work done, the situation is quite pathetic. The Govt. employees will either not listen to you or they will give you a vague response or they will raise some “irrelevant” objection.
This is generally done because the employees are “fishing” for a bribe! They are hoping that you will get frustrated and give them a bribe to “move things faster!” Do not give the bribe to them. Use the RTI Act and get your work done. Here we will show you how you can do this!
Just as an example, let us assume that you applied for a new water connection about a year back, but still nothing has happened about it. What you should do is, write an application according to the rules of your state and send it to the PIO of the Govt. department you are dealing with.
The application you write can be on these lines:
I had applied for a new water connection about a year back, but have not received the same. Copy of the receipt of the same is enclosed for your reference. Please provide the following information with respect to the same:
- Please provide the daily progress report made on my application.
- Please give the names and designations of the officials with whom my application was lying during this period. Please intimate the periods when it was lying with which officer and what was the action taken by that official during that period.
- Please give the proof of receipt and dispatch of my application in the office of each of these officials.
- According to your rules, in how many days should a new water connection be granted. Please provide a copy of these rules.
- The above officials have not adhered to the time limit mentioned in these rules. Are these officials guilty of violating these rules and hence guilty of misconduct under their conduct rules. Please give a copy of their conduct rule, which they have violated by violating the above mentioned rule.
- These officials have caused serious mental injury to me by making me run around all this while. Are these officials guilty of causing mental harassment to the public?
- What action can be taken against these officials for violating all the above rules and the conduct rules? By when this action would be taken?
- By when would I be granted my water connection?
Normally, it becomes difficult for the officials to reply to these questions. If they do reply to all the above questions, this will lead to them taking action against the officers who have not been performing their duties. The general experience is that the moment you file such an application, the work is done.
