Kerala - Kochi   

RTI: cooperatives yet to have officers

Kochi: State Information Commissioner V.V. Giri said on Saturday that cooperative societies were yet to designate information officers as stipulated under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Inaugurating the World Consumer Day celebrations organised by the Chavara Cultural Centre and the National Foundation for Consumer Awareness and Studies here, he said there was delay in processing applications owing to the increase in petitions against appellant authorities in public offices. The commission had decided to dispose of all pending applications within three months.

He said information under the provisions of the Right to Information Act should be used to resolve the problems of the people.

It can be used to obtain information on private institutions as well. For instance, information about private telephone operators can be obtained from the Telephone Regulatory Authority of India. Information about private hospitals can be had from the District Medical Officers concerned. If cooperative societies contended that they were not obliged to reveal information, the public can get the information from the Registrar of Cooperative Societies.

He said the information law was enacted with a view to making public administration transparent and corruption-free.

D.B. Binu, general secretary, Human Rights Defence Forum, delivered the keynote address. Robin Kannanchira, director, Chavara Cultural Centre, presided. M.L. George, president of the foundation, spoke.

Inaugurating the Consumer Day celebrations organised by the Ernakulam District Consumer Protection Council, Kochi Pourasamithy and Samtha Law Society, the former High Court judge M.R. Hariharan Nair stressed the need to create more awareness of the rights of the consumers.

V.P.G. Marar presided. M.R. Hariraj, lawyer, and president of the council Roy Thekkan spoke.

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