New Office of West Bengal RTI Manch....

[karira]

New Office of West Bengal RTI Manch

Dear Friends,
As you know that West Bengal RTI Manch is persistently working for the successful implementation of the Right to Information Act 2005 in West Bengal since 2005. Now, you will be happy to know that West Bengal RTI Manch is planning to open its’ office at 66 Phears Lane, Kolkata-700073 on the 15th Day of August 2008 instant. This would be a very important event considering that for the first time in West Bengal there will be a dedicated set of trained people officially posted in the above-mentioned location to voluntarily lend a hand to all the Hon’ble Citizens of this State (7 days a week ) towards filing RTI Applications, assisting them in the ‘Hearing’ in the Information Commission, distributing Rs. 10/- Court Fee Stamps(hard- to-find) for filing RTI Applications at cost price, a small library, etc. A dedicated 12 hrs (10:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M.) RTI Helpline Zero Nine Four Three Three Six Two Zero One Nine Two, has been set up to address the queries over the phone, too. Based on our findings we are already lobbying and advocating with the Government and the SIC to improve its efforts at successful implementation of the Act, which we like to continue in a further concerted manner from the location mentioned above.
Henceforth we take this opportunity to most humbly seek for your valued advices, suggestions & best wishes regarding the same & oblige.

Thanking you in anticipation,

Sincerely Yours,

MALAY BHATTACHARYYA

for
WEST BENGAL RTI MANCH


PHONE: Zero Three Three - Four Zero Zero Four Two Two Eight Six
FACSIMILE: Zero Three Three - Four Zer Zer Four Two Two Eight Six
MOBILE: Zero Nine Two Three One Four One Three Eight Three Four

[ganpat1956]

I wish Malay Bhattacharyya(who also happens to be a member of this portal) and his team all success.

[sidmis]

Right click
As reported by Shiv Sahay Singh in Express India, August 17, 2008

Shiv Sahay Singh in conversation with Malay Bhattacharya whose mission
in life is to make people aware of their right to information and help
them exercise their precious right

Malay Bhattacharya, the 38-year-old man, always felt an urge to be in
the public domain. After nearly ten years of social service, he lost
hope as he increasingly found himself pitted against heavy odds and
fighting a losing battle as he encountered countless instances of
corruption in all spheres of public life. A stint with an NGO and
after a few odd jobs, the frustrated, battered man has suddenly found
a meaning in his existence.

The emergence of the Right to Information Act in October 2005 came as
a fighting tool for this young man. Malay now passionately follows the
RTI route for fighting instances of injustice, corruption and
malpractices and with a degree of satisfaction. He knows that right
information could be the key to solving many problems and the RTI Act
has made it mandatory for government departments to respond to
requests from citizens for information within a specified time frame.

Malay's full time engagement now is to make people aware of their
right to information and help them exercise their precious right. By
2008, Malay has either filed himself or made others file at least
1,500 RTI applications concerning various issues. However doing an RTI
campaign and sensitising people requires some resources. He has
largely done so with support from like-minded friends and few
organisations. Recently, with help from like-minded people, he has set
up the state's first West Bengal RTI Manch with a view to delving deep
into the problems and issues of RTI use.

"It brings you in direct confrontation with the government," says
Malay who after his schooling from South Point went to Vidyasagar
College in 1989. "I was a little distraught and there was no hope.
With Right to Information, I thought something could be done to break
free from the shackles of corruption and each citizen could have
access to information that was stored in the government files," said
Malay.

After three years of campaign about RTI, he thinks that some
difference has been made. Malay has many stories to tell for those who
care to listen. For example, a daily wage earner in Purulia, Kartik
Rajowar, who was denied his wage, exercised an RTI under his guidance
to know the details of payment. It resulted in the local BDO of
Punchar in Purulia being fined Rs 25,000 by the State Information
Commission for misleading information and for denying the daily wage
earner his dues.

Malay feels there is a tendency of even honest public servants not to
disclose information because they are at times so proud of their
honesty. However, he points out how the state is lagging behind when
it comes to exercising RTI.

"This state does not have enough people exercising the right while in
other states handling the volume of cases is posing a problem," he
says. Malay also talks about the campaign he, along with some
volunteers, carried out in Bankura.

"It was the end of 2007 and there was rampant corruption in the Public
Distribution System. We made the people file about 250 RTI appeals and
the dealership of 8 distributors was suspended," he points out. Each
success reinforces Malay's commitment to his pledge. "My job will
continue till people in the state empower themselves with RTI
instrument," Malay says.

Right click - Express India