Dear Sarbajit,
Thanks.
I agree with you that when one seeks info thru RTI, the focus should remain on getting Info.
My first RTI application with NCW was filed on 04 Jan 2007 just after the Nithari expose. Rest are all off shoots of it.
Till, 2008, I also had same opinion of CPIO, NCW who is a much junior officer (at most equiv to Under Secy).
In fact I used to call him up to remind him the days left to reply my RTI request.
Once even on the 30th day of my filing RTI, I visited his office to collect info. Only than he started searching my application though I had called him earlier. Even than I suggested him to give me interim reply, just to say he would provide info by so and so date. This was to save him from crossing 30 days period. I sat down in his office to collect that letter.
Now I know, I was wrong.
'Could not careless', attitude comes only if one is protected by top. For such a person middle level management and immediate bosses mean nothing.
You just have to meet lower staff and middle level officials of NCW in confidence to smell the smoke.
However, the positive outcome of 3 years efforts is the new look RTI link on NCW website.
Am in Mumbai since end May. Earlier I had called on new JS (FAA)and briefed her. Before leaving noida, I had requested her to see that her Email ID is also available. In last 02 months NCW website (RTI link) has much improved.
I always feel that more that its C.Info Commissions babus who are much responsible for mess.
Take my words, with CIC ICs retiring shortly, same babus working closely with CIC/ICs will get reward postings in PMO, DoPT and impt ministries, lest their misdeeds are noticed by new ICs.
Best,
Lokesh
On Sun, 11 Jul 2010 09:05:25 +0530 wrote
Dear Lokesh
Sorry I could not reply to this earlier as I was somewhat busy.
Although I am gratified that you consider me capable of writing
a book, I believe that the answer to our common problems lie
elsewhere.
Sometime back our group had an open poll (I am sure that if the
same poll was replicated on other Yahoo groups the results would
be different) to rate the ICs at CIC. ICs MLS and ANT scored the highest, and IC's like SG ranked at the bottom.
The common thing about both MLS and ANT is that they do not
believe in applying "penalty" as the solution to every systemic
problem. For eg. Yogesh Mehta is not the problem at NCW, its
Girija Vyas, Mohini Giri and all those other political boot-lickers who have trashed the institution. It is because of people like Yogesh Mehta (BTW I hold no brief for him) which allows the NCW to
continue to partially function at all. It is an open secret that
the top brass of NCW make crores of (black) money from the "male"
side whenever dowry / 498A / DMV complaints reaches them.
About 6 years back I visited office of NCW and encountered Yogesh
Mehta who was then the Chief Law Officer. In contrast to the plush
offices of the Chairwoman and members, he occupied a small room
with a desert cooler shared with 2 other assistants. It was overflowing with papers, he was very patient, explained the NCW's
position to me properly, gave me his personal email ID (because the
official email had not been working properly for many months) in
addition and ensured that my email was placed in the records of the
NCW and duly considered.
Now note that this was pre-RTI Act. If after the RTI Act comes into
force and officers like Yogesh Mehta are forced into corners, harrassed and painted as the villians, then we had better reconsider the aims of the RTI Act itself and the persons who use it.
To this end, experienced ICs like MLS and ANT believe that the best "penalty" which can be applied against the PUBLIC AUTHORITY (not the PIO) is for the information to be given to DESERVING ("responsible"
In summary, the best "penalty" that an honest IC can give is to
ENSURE that information is PROVIDED speedily to deserving applicant.
This is the only way to reform the P/As by exposing them.
Sarbajit
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