COVID-19 affected veteran activist wants RTI cells to reopen at BDA & BBMP!

By Zahid H Javali

Ever since the Right to Information (RTI) cell shut down at the BBMP and BDA headquarters in 2017, RTI activists are rooting for its return. One such prominent person is COVID-19 affected Ravindra Nath Guru, a 76-year-old who is filing RTIs for the last 15 years. “COVID-19 has put a halt to my efforts,” he says. “Many activists are disillusioned by the state of affairs today, but we will not stop demanding what is right. We are petitioning all the authorities concerned to revive the RTI cells in BBMP and BDA. The BBMP legal cell is an illegal cell. Only RTIs can repair some of the damage caused by it.”

However, the going is only getting worse by the day. In addition to the Supreme Court’s observation today that the RTI is being used to intimidate people, the politicians and officials are completely against the act as it shames them in public. While the law mandates that the answer to RTI queries be given in 30-45 days, the replies never come or only vague answers are furnished that don’t serve any purpose. “There are more than 30,000 RTI applications pending before the Information Commissioner for not giving answers within the stipulated time,” says Guru. “It will take one-and-a-half-years to get a hearing on such complaints.”

Nath has filed more than 1100 RTI applications so far and counting. Most related to rampant commercialisation, illegal buildings, potholes, lack of footpaths, unauthorised marriage halls and PG homes, solid waste management, and denial of housing facilities meant for the poor. “Every other day, there are contempt of court offences, but it will take 2-3 years for the cases to even come up. By then, the officials would be transferred or retired.”

The biggest obstacle to a clean, green governance is the common man. “They are violating the law, and politicians and officials are waiting to make money. There are many loopholes in enforcement, which everyone profits from,” says Guru. “Any law is misused, including RTI which some use for blackmailing. That is truly unfortunate.”

According to Guru, accountability is a long-drawn battle. “The society has to change. If people just obey the law, much can change. We just have to be hopeful and continue with our campaigns to unearth the truth behind all the scams in the country.”

COVID-19 has come as a detriment. Guru and his wife are back from Apollo Hospital after testing positive for the Coronavirus. “We suspect that we got it when we went to Jayadeva Hospital for a cardiac checkup,” he says. “We were in Apollo for 6 days and discharged. Now we are taking some tablets for a week under home quarantine in Banashankari. The virus did not affect us much. We are doing fine.”

WHO IS RAVINDRA NATH GURU?

• Conferred an award for outstanding work in RTI by Kannada Sahitya Parishath in 2017.
• Served as a scientist with the Department of Information Technology, Govt of India.
• Associated with Consumer Care Society for the last 25 years; served as secretary and president for 15 years.
• Associated with Public Affairs Centre (Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness) and Janagraha Movement (Bala Janagraha) to create awareness among the public and children to become active citizens.
• Extensively used the Karnataka Right to Information Act, 2000 (KRIA) and then RTI 2005 by filing more than 1100 RTI applications to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.
• The information obtained through RTI helped the Coalition against Corruption (CAC ) to file complaint with Lokayukta about the mismanagement and corruption in the existing Solid Waste Management contracts, and also bring it to the notice of BBMP Commissioner about the deficiency in the tendering process, and suggest improvements in the new tender.
• A complaint was lodged with Lokayukta in 2009 about the functioning of marriage halls and party halls which are operating unauthorizedly and violating the building byelaws, based on which directions were issued to the Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Dept., Government of Karnataka, for initiating disciplinary action on erring BBMP officials.
• Also used RTI to expose the corruption and mismanagement of EWS housing projects by Karnataka State Slum Development Board, and abuse of MLA & MP LAD funds.
• Delivered awareness programmes on RTI, consumer protection issues and corruption across Karnataka.
• A panelist for several TV channels, such as TV 9, News 9, Suvarna, Kasturi, Samaya, and Janasri for discussing consumer issues, civic problems, corruption and other topics of public importance.
• One of the coordinators of Coalition Against Corruption, an initiative of Public Affairs Centre, which was formed by six NGOs to help the common man get his work done at government offices without bribes, and also guide citizens to utilize RTI to combat corruption.
• Managing Trustee of KRIA Katte (Karnataka Right to information Activists Forum).
• Instrumental in getting the Consumer Club in Schools programme of Govt. of India to Consumer Care Society as a nodal agency.