Network Meeting of Samuhik Marudi Pratikar Udyam, Padmapur held at Paikmal, Bargarh on 19^th January 2006

A total of 25 participants representing various groups belonging to the Network took part. in the meeting. Sri Pradip Pradhan Convener Orissa Right to Food Campaign spoke on how to make use of certain provisions of the Right to Information Act 2005 for accessing official information irrespective of the adverse, ultra vires nature of the provisions made under Orissa RTI Rules. It was decided that in Padmapur Sub-division, 2 Blocks along with 1 Tahsil and Sub-collector’s Office shall be inspected under Section 4 of the Act.

 Follow-up Action taken 

Sri Fakir Rout, Network Coordinator visited the Sub-Collector’s office at Padampur on 2^nd Feb 2006 for inspection of the said office under Section 4 of the Act. The Sub-Collector Sri Birchus Larka who himself was not conversant with the provisions of the Act reacted at first very rudely to the very request for inspection so made. After some arguments made by Fakir, he and PIO of the office Sri Sarat Chandra Sethi ultimately yielded to the point, but wanted a sensitization meeting to be held for the officials of his Sub-division about the Section 4 of the Act, where the spokespersons of the Orissa Right to Information Campaign shall be invited to clarify the questions and issues centring round the contentious matters.

Then the Sub-Collector issued a letter No.474 dated 4.2.06 to 48 nos. of administrative units in the Sub-division including Police, Jail superintendent, Fire Station, SDJM, Bar Association and Press Club for holding a Consultation on RTI on 16^th of February 2006 at Padmapur Rajaji Town Hall. The said letter was also addressed to the resource persons of the Orissa Right to Information Campaign for attending the Consultation. But the meeting was cancelled due to some unavoidable reasons, known to the Sub-Collector. But he assured to call it at another date in near future, i.e. tentatively in 2^nd week of April 2006.

Next, a group of network members visited Gaisilat Block office on 25^th Jan 06, and met the BDO for the purpose of inspection under Section 4 of the Act. The BDO Sri Chandramani Seth along with the PIO Sri Ranjit Kumar Sahany first refused to comply with the request for inspection. But after the group members argued out their case on the basis of the Act and Orissa Rules, the BDO agreed to call a meeting of the officials working under the Block for getting clarified about the critical provisions of the Act and Rules. Accordingly 16^th of February was set for the said meeting, and resource persons from Orissa Right to Information Campaign were invited to attend the same.      

On 2^nd February, another group visited Raja Bodasambar Block and met the PIO Sri Achyutanand Rath. The PIO admitted that he was not thorough about the provisions of the Act or Rules, and he wanted the network to organize a meeting or training programme where he and other officials of the Block can receive further knowledge and operational guidance for smooth implementation of the Act at the Block level.