RTI Stories

The following stories related to RTI in Meghalaya have been posted by the users

Please read the success stories posted by our users:

Submitted by shrinivas varunjikar

RTI helps to receive PR card - a 30year pending issue solves By V. ShrinivasThe power of Right to Information Act was experienced by a citizen, as he received his Property Registration Card, (PR) - an age old pending issue since last 30 years was resolved. The district collector and the president of then civic body of Aurangabad had sanctioned the lay out plan of survey number 108/13, on January 22, 1952. Mannalal Hiralal Agarwal had owned the land in the Narali Baug. The entry also describes sale of 36 plots, then. Chandrakant Kale had purchased a plot on his wife's name from the same property by a sale deed No. 2958 in the year December 1971. The city Survey Office at Aurangabad was established in the year 1976. Hence Kale approached the office for change in name and the PR card with all subsequent documents. In November 1976, the office informed the assistant collector that the issue of the said land was under dispute and refused to issue PR card. Kale had asked the court in the year April 1981, whether the land was declared as government property? But the officers issued PR cards to other plot holders in July 1982. Parwatibai Dimbar, Ambarsing and Mehatabsing received the PR cards. Kale had applied thrice to the deputy director demanding the documents in context with the order issued by the office. But his efforts were in vain. Finally, Kale filed a petition with the additional collector under the Right to Information Act, 2005 with concerned documents. The city survey office failed to prove that the government owned the land. After scrutinizing all the documents the additional collector ordered the city survey office to issue the much-awaited PR card to Chandrakant Kale on October 16, 2006. Chadrkant Kale has expressed gratitude towards the provisions in the said RTI Act.

Submitted by the freedom project

A 7 minute long interview was broadcast over All India Radio Shillong radio in the morninig of 24th June announcing the training and campaign2.A press conferecne about the campaign took place on sunday - 25th June 2006 which was widely covered on the 26th papers and local cable channels (www.3.. A full lengh FAQ on RTI with the picture of the banner for the campaign has appeared in the widest selling vernacular newspaper on the 28th June4.. A 5 minute long interview and footage of distributing of pamphlets at Police Bazar was telecast over DDK Shillong through its prime time programme called 'city Scan' at 7.15 pm on 29th June 20065. NDTV interviewed Volunteers from the Freedom Project and Domestic Workers Movement yesterday about the campaign while they were distributing leaflets in the market area of Shillong.They are developing a story about teh genesis of the MEghalaya Right to Information Movement and the Anti Bribe Campaign.6. Further Radio announcements in Enghlish and Khasi are slated for primetime 8. 30 in the morning for 30th and 2nd June. A programme called Morning Information service is carrying a story about the campaign on 1st July 200 for 7 minutes at 7 am in ther morning. A Discussion programme in Khasi on the Campaign and Bribe and Corruption is being recorded on the 4th Jule 2006 for braodcast during the campaign period.7.Announcements about the campaign over the DIPR loudspeaker which is placed in all localities will begin from 30th June Evening8. The North Easter Service - a radio service for all the seven states of the North East is broadcasting a feature we havce made on RTI and the campaign that has voice overs, music etc9. A live Phone in programme on the campaign is taking palce at DDK Shillong on 8th July 2006.10. RTI questioning is happening at the Assembly session underway now. A question was filed regarding the no. of RTI related queries that have been made throughout the state, their status etc.11.Locality Based awareness programmes are taking place during the campaign period . 9th July programmes are taking place at Rilbong and Mawlai..12. We are collaborating with the Office of Field Publicity to have raod shows about the campaign. we will screen a film and distribute leaflets in select localites in the evenings throughout the campaign period13. Help Desks are also being set up in Jowai, Jaintia Hills District and Smit Village, East Khasi Hills District for a single day on market days (Haat) of 8th and 12th July.