We are a group of young professionals called as “ People for Transparency”

[People for Transparency]

Dear friends

We are a group of young professionals called as “ People for Transparency” in small town of Punjab those find RTI law an excellent apparatus for the amelioration of country.

I am Kamal Anand a taxation Consultant, have legal background being post graduate in Laws.


Near my resident at Sangrur there is a pick point of the solid waste maintained by local Municipal Council to collect & dispose of municipal waste. I find on this point stray animal, littering of waste, overflowing of bins, which were causing public nuisance. People of locality have made many requests to local MC for proper management of that point but on desired result came.

I used internet frequently & find a law Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules 2000 which has been made by the Centre Government on the direction of Supreme Court after hearing a Public Interest litigation of Almitra Patel a public spirited person.

In month of month of Aug 2006 I filed an application under RTI asking a few information from Municipal Council Sangrur keeping in mind the provision of Municipal Solid Waste law, not satisfied with the reply of MC Sangrur, I filed second appeal no result hence Appeal before Punjab State Information Commission Chandigarh. Executive Officer Municipal Council Sangrur fail to give proper information hence PSIC Chandigarh imposed fine of RS 25000.00 on Executive Officer along with award of compensation of Rs 3000.00 from me keeping in mind the facts that information has been asked in public interest along with disciplinary action Executive officer. (can see judgment at www.infocommpunjab.nic.in dated 13/04/2007 delivered by Sh. R.K.Gupta & Sh. P.P.S. Gill )

My purpose was not to get the information only or imposing of fine on Executive officer so meanwhile in the month on 06/10/06 I have filed an Application for information from the office of Punjab Pollution Control Board Sangrur in regard to the implementation of Municipal solid Waste law. The reply of PPCB Sangrur came on 24/10/2007 giving information in regard to the Mismanagement of Solid Waste law & making some adverse remarks against Sangrur MC.

Meanwhile I was doing extensive research on the law of Municipal Waste Management my legal background helped me a lot. I came to know about many startling facts about the implementation of the Solid Waste law in the whole of State of Punjab. I came to know that all over the state of Punjab there is gross violation of the important law made on the direction of Supreme Court of India, under Environment Protection Act 1986.

Than I felt that the problem should be addressed in the interest of common man who is not aware about his right as public authorities are playing with the health and life of not only the present generation but also the future generations who would have to live in the hell created by the present set of circumstances, as the public is suffering due to negligence of Public authorities and such persons are by reason of helplessness unable to approach the appropriate Courts of law for relief and protection of their fundamental rights to health, life.


Hence I file an application RTI with HQ of Punjab Pollution Control Board after collecting extensive information from various sites on internet on 20/04/2007. Through this application I asked for annual reports, status of authorization for landfill along with many other information. Information provided by PPCB Patiala confirms my belief that there has been gross violation of a specific law by Public Authorities, which required to be addressed in Public Interest. We highlight startling information procured from PPCB Patiala through newspaper.


On 28 May 2007 we after compilation of all information along with a few pictures of Mismanagement & Mishandling of solid waste in the city filed a Public Interest Litigation in Punjab & Haryana High Court. Hon,ble high court has admitted our petition.


The moral of the story

A common man can address any wrong doing of Public Authorities with the use of Right to Information Act 2005.

Kamal Anand
C/o People for Transparency
Telephone Exchange Road
Sangrur 148001

e-mail [*********************]


We have taken many issue of common interest with a few Public Authorities as such


1. Misuse of domestic gas for commercial purposes
2. Sale of liquor to person below the age of 25 year. As this is a statutory law
3. Mismanagement of Municipal funds by few vest interests
4. Illegal encroachments & increasing traffic menace.
5. Promotion of RTI law by Appropriate Government under section 26 of RTI Act

We have helped people & filed at least 100 or more application under RTI law with many small success.

[kushal]

Nice introduction, and your post deserved better place, hence moved to 'New Member Introduction'. Kindly do not post email address, as RTI India is visited heavily by Search engines and spiders and your email may be abused. Link deleted.

[flinterstone]

indeed nice way to introduce oneself, as you have mentioned, it is a powerful tool in the hand of common man but the ingrained stigma never vanishes from us, the omnipotent security and fear of the consequence is still influence us the go head and take on the government. i am actually getting restless from the day i got to know about RTI, the will and the foresight is there but the drive is missing, i really want to use this tool for conservation of my beautiful town i am searching like minded pple now

[kbcmenon]

Yes I do consider this as a good forum to bring justice to many matters which other wise would be difficult to draw attention of many.Democracy thrives only when people has the right and authority to bring up the false doing of the authorities in power.