Karnataka - Mysore   

H.D. Kote citizens assert their right to information

Creating awareness: R. Balasubramaniam and his team interacating with residents of a village in H.D. Kote taluk on the Right to Information Act.

MYSORE: A silent revolution is taking place in one of the most backward taluks of the State — Heggadadevanakote in Mysore district — to fight corruption, thanks to awareness among the citizens on the Right to Information Act (RTI).

People in the tribal-dominated villages of the taluk have realised the importance of right to information and are accessing information pertaining to development works from the government making use of the Act.

There has been a revolutionary change in the mindset of the people owing to increased awareness on the RTI. People have started auditing the government schemes and the programmes implemented for their welfare. The credit goes to R. Balasubramaniam, president, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM), Saragur, and his team of volunteers.

Dr. Balasubramaniam, who heads the vigilance committee on health in the office of Lokayukta, and his team are spearheading a mission in the taluk to facilitate and develop processes that improve the quality of life of the people

Since the last 23 years, Dr. Balasubramaniam and two of his colleagues are spreading awareness on RTI conducting training programmes, screening documentaries, workshops and sensitisation programmes. Following overwhelming support and involvement of the people, the campaign has gained momentum and more people are coming forward to learn more about the RTI.

“We basically educate them on the right to information and the RTI Act. People have realised its importance as their activism has helped in dealing with sub-standard works. The stage has come in which people are seeking information on their own,” explains Dr. Balasubramaniam.

The booklet on RTI in Kannada “Yeli Yeddeli” is being sold briskly in the taluk to understand more about the people’s rights. Priced at Rs 5, more than 3,000 copies of the booklet (printed by SVYM) have been sold in six months.

“We are basically targeting the youth. Over 1,500 of them have been trained. At least 40 villages have been covered and over 50 training programmes have been conducted,” Dr Balasubramaniam said.

On records, the 14-km road stretch between Bidarahalli and N. Begur had been shown as implemented showing an expenditure of Rs. 30 lakh, but in reality, very little had been done to complete the road.

“The residents of villages falling on the road stretch filed a complaint under the RTI Act with the Lokayukta, who, instead of prosecuting those who had executed the work, asked them to relay the road. Importantly, this resulted in the formation of a social audit committee comprising 28 members of the villages to supervise the works,” he said.

Thanks to the Lokayukta and the RTI Act, the relaying of the road had been top-class. This is a classic example of people’s power, he added.

Also, the villagers ensured that the contractor repaired the 40-km road stretch between Hunsur-H.D. Kote-Sargur-Kadebegur since it had the warranty.

Dr. Balasubramaniam and his team recently conducted training for eight NGOs in the State to spread the movement in their working areas. “By this way, we want to sensitise the people on their rights and thereby mitigate corruption,” he said.

He has appealed to the Principal Secretary of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department to conduct training on RTI to the Chief Executive Officers of the zilla panchayats since they are the development agencies in rural areas.

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