In the midst of a debate over dilution of the RTI Act, Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh feels that liberal access to government files has put fear among officials on giving their views, an issue which has to be addressed. 

"RTI has expanded the scope. Nothing is secret anymore. Cabinet decisions and opinions expressed by officials are also accessed using this Act," the Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences said. 

He said the liberal use of RTI has put fears in officials on freely expressing their views on any issue. 

"This has led to officials being apprehensive on noting their opinion on the file. A joint secretary has the right to overrule the views of an under-secretary. But now even a joint secretary thinks ten times before making a file noting," Deshmukh said. 

An official fears about his decision being questioned and he being called to give an explanation, he said. 

"These difficulties...faced by the administration have to be given a thought," said the two-time chief minister of Maharashtra. 

He said Information Commissioners have been appointed for implementation of the RTI Act and there was no reason for hiding any information. 

"Getting information about the final decision is proper. But the decision-making process and who said what in the process...if this is also made known then nobody would give his views. Everybody fears this. This may have led to the debate on dilution of RTI," he said. 

It was during Deshmukh's tenure as Maharashtra chief minister RTI Act was enacted in the state in 2002. The Maharashtra RTI Act was considered as the base document for the RTI Act passed by Parliament in 2005. 

Incidentally, RTI was made into a law in Maharashtra after a hunger strike by social activist Anna Hazare in early 2000. 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's call at a conference of Information Commission for... a critical look at the RTI Act triggered a debate with the BJP and a section of the civil society criticising the remark. 

Singh had later clarified that he had never called for dilution of the Act....

Some schoolchildren in the city on 29 May 2011 launched a campaign against smoking and sale of tobacco products at public places by filing applications under the Right To Information (RTI) Act 2005.

Nine RTI applications have been filed by the schoolchildren in UP government's health department demanding information on why tobacco retail shops are allowed to operate within 100 yards of educational institutions in violation of the ban, who is responsible to enforce tobacco laws in Lucknow, what action should be taken against the official concerned for not enforcing tobacco laws in the city and by when the tobacco shops within 100 yards of educational institutions will be removed.

One of the applicants, Rahul asked when all the tobacco shops within 100 yards of educational institutions in the entire state will be re moved. He also asked how many people so far have been fined for smoking in public places in the state.

Another RTI application was filed on why children and youths below 18 years of age are allowed to buy or sell tobacco when it is prohibited, what action has been taken, why these children are not going to schools in the era of Right To Education (RTE).

A student has filed RTI applications with the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) demanding information on why garbage is dumped at public places, which is responsible to remove it, what action will be taken and by when garbage will be removed. Another student has pointed out that some residents in Indiranagar have put up iron gates at the entrance road of their locality barring movement of others. He has asked the Lucknow Municipal Corporation if such a thing is allowed under the law and if not who is responsible to take corrective measures.

Most of the children who have filed applications are students of class IX to class XII.

These students were part of the recently held summer training camp in which they were taught by Magsaysay award winner social activist Sandeep Pandey and social activist Bobby Ramakant as how to draft an RTI application and use it as a tool to curb corruption and make state government agencies do their job.

The RTI applications filed by the students are the practical of what they had learnt in the camp. Those who have filed the RTI applications include Jatin Arora, Sarvesh Kumar Shukla, Sachidananda Pandey, Nadeem Salmani, Anand Pathak, Dileep Sharma, Rahul Kumar and Ritesh.

"Using RTI is an empowering experience because we can have our say on weak or poor implementation of health and development laws in our city," said Sachidanand Pandey. "Just by writing an application on a plain paper, we can demand information from government departments is what we have realised now," said Pandey.

"There should be a ban on the sale of mouth fresheners and sweet supari or 'paan masala without tobacco' in plastic sachets – even they affect environment," said Dileep Sharma, a class XII student.

"Spitting should not be allowed – why is there no law here in Lucknow to ban spitting of chewing tobacco," said Jatin Arora, a student of class XII.

The students were part of a recently held summer training camp in which they were taught by Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey and social activist Bobby Ramakant as how to draft an RTI application and use it as a tool to curb corruption.

              Unfortunately, since the law exposes all the corruption taking place within the Govt. departments, the officials in the Govt. departments are opposing this law. All the politicians that sit on the tax payer’s money are feeling the crunch. They too are opposing he law. 

              There are now talks going on about the “diluting” the law. The law in it’s “diluted” form will be useless. People will loose the power that they had to expose the truth about the Govt. organizations. 

              You must help save this law. Whether or not you use the law is another thing. Help save the RTI Act so that other may make use of it and help improve our nation.  There are many RTI activists who everyday exposing Govt. frauds and forcing the Govt. to improve. Support them! Support RTI!

 

Lets get together to support rti act…