Public authorities unwilling to provide information: RTI commissioner
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 10 2011: Public authorities are unwilling to provide information sought by the applicants under the Right to Information Act, 2005, said state chief information commissioner, Chungkham Birendra today blaming the public authorities of the government of not interesting in the effort to implement the Act.

Speaking as chief guest at the opening function of a one-day media workshop on RTI Act organized by the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) under the sponsorship of the State Academy of Training, Birendra further criticised the public authorities of having poor knowledge about the Act.

By not providing the information seek by applicants timely and by not providing the information which can be provided under the provisions of the Act, these public authorities created problems at many occasions.

He said that even though there was no separate law that governs the freedom of expression, media and RTI can be assumed as brothers.

If the media takes initiatives in highlighting the problems facing by the citizens and RTI activists at the time of seeking certain information from the government authorities, the objective of the Act could be achieved, he observes.

RK Nimai, commissioner (Arts and Culture) and Kh Ragumani, addition director of State Academy of Training attended as guests of honour of the opening function of the workshop which was presided by Khogendro Khondram, president of AMWJU.

In his presidential speech, Khogendro said that only very few of the working scribes know the RTI Act.

With the objective of scribes to have a thorough knowledge, the workshop was being organized, he added.

The first business session of the workshop was moderated by senior journalist Irengbam Arun and state chief information commissioner Ch Birendra presented a paper on the "Role of Information in Promoting RTI Act and RK Nimai, commissioner (Arts and Culture) talked on the "Official Secret Act and the RTI.

The second business session was moderated by BB Sharma IIS (retired), consultant, RNU, AIR Imphal and senior journalist Irengbam Arun talked on the "RTI as a tool for obtaining information by journalists" and Rakesh Meihoubam, executive director HRLN, on "RTI Act: The Law".

T Demona, general secretary and coordinator shared his experiences as RTI activist.

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