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A transparent effort
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The Anti Corruption Movement instils self-confidence in people so that they can get their due as citizens of this country, rightfully as their legislative privilege.
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IT IS a reminder hard to digest. Out of 133 countries, India is ranked 83rd in the global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2003 released by the Berlin-based anti-corruption watchdog, Transparency International (TI). The position may after all not appear so alarming but it affirms that corruption is prevalent in the country.
Corruption in any country is one of the most damaging consequences of poor governance marked by lack of transparency and the accountability. Corruption is such a pervading factor today that people feel unless you are corrupt (read bribe), things will never get going.
It is the bane of all evils in the society.
Though, perhaps there was never a time when the society was corruption-free. But at no point of time, it was as prolific as it is today not leaving any field of human activity untouched.
Corruption infringes into basic human rights and results in denigration of quality and excellence and eats into every element of virtue of mankind. It facilitates erosion of integrity and decline of morality.
But many fail to take note of it.
Rather people give the excuse that they are forced to accept such `kinds'. Whose conscience does it prick anyway? But can we sit cool over such an attitude. There is an imperative need to end this social `epidemic'.
An important step in its curbing would be to arouse awareness among the public about accepting procedural delays rather than pushing a file with blue chips.
To generate such awareness among the people, a group of engineers have initiated the `Anti-Corruption Movement' (ACM).
It was started in Chennai in 2001 and came to Madurai two years ago.
"Always expecting an inspirational leader to emerge to help us rid of this `disease' is not the right attitude. It is an escapist's route. Rather, conscientious and like-minded citizens who feel strongly against corruption should unite in fighting this evil," says, K. Ramachandran, secretary, ACM, explaining the birth of the Madurai chapter of ACM.
"Honest and straight forward retired engineers of the Public Works Department came together to constitute the team here. Each individual carries on a different struggle against the corrupt practices of the higher authorities. We had to face a lot of hardship in starting such a movement. It is not that we are up in arms against the corrupt but we aim at teaching the public to get their work done in Government offices in the event of any delay without succumbing to any undue pressure," he says.
"We instil self-confidence so that people can get their due as citizens of this country, rightfully as their legislative privilege. On numerous occasions we have helped people in getting rations cards, patta transfer, birth, death, income and caste certificates. But it should not send a wrong signal, as we are not here to get these works done. We only want to make people more assertive by educating them about their rights," Mr. Ramachandran observes.
The aims and objectives of the ACM are: to ensure absolute integrity and cleanliness in public life; to ensure honesty and straight forwardness in all the activities of various departments; to render all necessary assistance required by common citizens who are in need of such assistance in getting their grievances redressed; to take appropriate corrective measures to inculcate a sense of responsibility, involvement and devotion to duty in the minds of officials; to take various suitable and silent measures to educate the public and officials of the virtues and need for honesty in public life through various publicity measures.
In tune with their aim, they have launched numerous awareness campaigns in colleges and schools, in public places and villages.
"Now that our branch has established itself, we have more than 50 dedicated members, from agriculturists to retired IAS officers," boasts Mr. Ramachandran.
Having tremendous faith in the student force, the future citizens, ACM has also enrolled over 1000 college students for their campaign.
When corruption seeps into the society, it lowers the investment and hampers economic growth and human development by limiting the access to basic social services as well as increasing the cost of their delivery.
Corruption also increases poverty, destroys the financial system and jeopardises the legitimacy of the State. The cost of corruption to a nation is very high.
T.SARAVANAN
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Bangalore
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Coimbatore
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Kochi
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Visakhapatnam
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