Block level Seminar held at Balipatna in Khurda district

on 16^th Dec 05 for amending Orissa RTI Rules

A Block level Seminar on Right to Information Act 2005 was held in the premises of Balipatna Block, Khurda on 16^th of December under the aegis of IYWW ( Institute of Women and Youth Welfare) sponsored by CASA ( Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action) Banamalipur , in which persons from various walks of life such as PRIs, NGOs, SHGs, media, Block Office and Police actively participated by way of giving their views and opinions on the subject.

After an introductory and welcome note by Sri Niten Soren of CASA, the Seminar was inaugurated by Sri Shashi Bhushan Behera, MLA by lighting of the ceremonial lamp.  Sri Dillip Kumar Ojha, President Balipatna Press Club, who presided over the Seminar and in his opening remarks said that the people need to understand both RTI Act and Orissa Rules, so as to get enabled to exercise their right to access official information now given under the new law.

Sri Kamal Kumar Acharya, CEO ( Cooperative Extension Officer) who is now appointed as a PIO ( Public Information Officer) under the Act spoke elaborately about the various arrangements that have been made to administer the Act as per the Orissa Rules. He informed that only one person had applied for information so far, but his application has been rejected on procedural grounds. Sri Acharya further informed that he knew from reliable sources that some revision is under way regarding the amount of fees to be charged on different heads, but no definite instruction from the Government has so far reached his office in this regard. He assured the participants that he would do his best to furnish information under the Act in case of all genuine applications.

Then Sri Bishnu Prasad Pati, the OIC ( Officer-in-Charge) of Balipatna PS, who is also appointed as the PIO of the said Police Station gave a brief report about the arrangements made at their level to furnish information under the Act. Showing a letter from the DG Orissa Police, Sri Pati told that the DG had instructed all police stations of the State to give information to the members of the public as and when required by them, even without taking any fees. But it is not possible to give information about very old records or sensitive cases under investigation, told Sri Pati. Moreover, most of the case records are not usually available with police stations, since these are forwarded to the Courts at various levels. Though not conversant with the text of the Act as per his admission, Sri Pati welcomed the efforts of the NGOs to spread awareness about it among the people.

The above two speakers from the Govt side were followed by two persons from civil society, Sri Ranjit Routray of village Kiajodi under Balipatna Block and Sri Nakul Chandra Swain, Secretary JJS( Jagyaseni Jubak Sangha), Nimapada who is associated with the organizing of the Seminar. Sri Routray said that if the proposed Suchana Kendra ( Information Centre) for which Rs.5 lakh has been sanctioned by the Dept of Information and Public Relations gets constructed soon, it would greatly help the common people to receive the desired information from one, single source. Then Sri Swain of JJS, speaking on the Orissa RTI Rules opined that it is completely at odds with the main RTI Act. While the RTI Act provides for giving information to the people at a cheap rate and in an easy manner, the Orissa Rules has made the procedure and forms so complicated and the fees so exorbitant that a common man can’t be able even to apply under the Act. Sri Swain suggested that the present Seminar should adopt a Resolution to address to the State Govt to simplify the process of application and reduce the fees keeping parity with the Rules framed by the Centre.

Then Sri Chitta Behera a social scientist, who was the Resource Person on the occasion gave a comprehensive presentation on how the Orissa Rules, with its present omissions and commissions has fundamentally deviated from the provisions made under the parent RTI Act. He specifically said that the parent Act does not favour any written application form, to be made compulsory under any State Rules, since the Act in Section 6 allows an oral request from any person to be accepted by the PIO, whose duty is to reduce the same into writing. The Act has been designed in such a way as to enable an illiterate, poor and even disabled person to access and inspect official information. But the Orissa Rules in its present form doesn’t provide for any space for these underdogs of the society. Sri Behera appealed to the people to avail the right to instantly access and inspect the 17 categories of official information as mentioned under Section 4(1b) of the Act, for which no application, no application fee or no waiting for days is required, since these informations are to be disclosed suo moto by each public authority. If deprived or harassed in any way by the public authorities, a citizen can directly complain before the Information Commission on a plain paper, and without any appeal fee, as permissible under Section 18 of the Act. 

Taking the cue from the talks of the previous speakers, the local MLA and Chief Guest on the occasion Sri Shashi Bhushan Behera observed that he himself was convinced that the process of application under the Orissa RTI Rules should be made simpler and the costs on different heads reduced to affordable rates. He further observed that the Chief Minister of Orissa had an open mind on this issue, and if representations from various quarters pointing out the defects in the State Rules reach him, he would certainly consider the same for amending the same. While welcoming the initiative of the NGOs in organizing the present Seminar, Sri Behera wanted more of such events to be held across his constituency for promoting a healthy debate on the subject among the people. Sri Behera concluding by saying that as a people’s representative, he would certainly present the views of the people on the Orissa Rules before the Government for necessary action. 

Among the active participants were Sri Kasinath Barik Sarpanch of Bhapur GP and Sri Sadashib Das Member Balipatna Panchayat Samiti.

 Following the mid-day lunch, the Seminar came to a close.