Sir,
The day
RTI Act came into effectin 2005/ in April 2006, I tried to test the waters.
I've sought info from DDA of which none satisfactory reply was given that too exceeding the time limitation. The issue was pertaining an encroachment on approved layout plan designated as parking space arround my area of living. The fortunate part was before any reply was to be given to me evation was very obvious. What the DDA did was change my address from No. 1 to no. 4. The department was caught off guard upon my visit to the particular dept. by showing them the photocopy of what I have submitted. Anyway, I ended making the first appeal and then forwarded after the limitation to
CIC. The order can be read if interested. The dept. was penalized Rs. 50,000 for both the queries made to their section.
In the mean time learning the process made another application to DDA now, with specific querries rangeing from Damage section of the estate court officer to Land management area which gave me the exact info of where the file of the encroacher was that had been kept in safe custody for the benefit of the encroacher for 25 years by greasing the department and making a fool of all the authorities. I would say the LG's listening post was also helpull in expediting the process by the estate court officer to make a decision to evict the encroacher. I would like to add I made sure I phoned each and every department that was involved constantly to make sure the process & my inquery is alive and progressive. It took good nine months of pursuing the issue, eventually the large metal shed did got demolished last 18th Sept. 2007.
Now the next task is to make sure the area that got domolished remain or develop as a parking space which is very much needed in our area. The area was in Jhandewalan Extension behind the metro station.
Had the
RTI not come into effect. I don't think I could have done anything., because the encroacher greese the palm of any one who came to inspect the encroachment. and had tried his might & money power during the process of my trying to have the encroacher evicted according to the court officer of DDA.
As a lesson to our citizen do not lost heart "lage raho Muna Bhai" ask your self which side of the law are you with, if your answer is on the right side of the law nothing should deter anyone to fight it. Wrong negative suggestion or advice by your love ones will never get you any where. I feel it is an insult to our being as humans to succumb to fear when you are in the right side of the law. The fear would be to the person who is on the wrong side of the law.
In closing the topic I urge each and evry citizen of this country to say I had enough and I shall overcome to fight the evils of society. Maybe the dream each and every one of us have of India will be attain.
K.S.Gahunia