Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 19: In order to commemorate nine years of Right To Information (RTI) Act in the State, Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement (RTIM) in association with Abdul Ahad Azad Memorial Degree College Bemina organized a seminar today.
A RTIM spokesman in a statement said that Chief Information Commissioner, Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, former Chief Information Commissioner, G R Sufi and Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Syed Abid Rashid along with large number of RTI activists and students attended the seminar.
Chief Information Commissioner while speaking at the seminar said that awareness level on RTI Act is still very less and more and more programs on awareness generation need to be organized across the State.
G R Sufi, former Chief Information Commissioner said that RTI has challenged the ego of Government officers and urged upon Government to appoint one more Information Commissioner without any further delay. “Technically Information Commission is not a legal entity in absence of an Information Commissioner,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar said that Government money is tax payers money and people have full right to seek details of funds being spent on different developmental works.
He urged upon students not to be pessimist and work hard to achieve the goals in life. “The ultimate power lies with people and they must make judicious use of RTI law and not use it for pressure tactics,” he said.
Dr Raja Muzaffar Founder RTI Movement said that RTI is a tool in the hands of oppressed and disadvantaged people. “It is the RTI law which has empowered common citizens across State,” he said.
He urged upon the Government to fulfill their legal obligation of creating RTI awareness across State.
At the end of the seminar, the campaign RTI for Environment was formally launched wherein RTI Movement plans to make rigorous use of RTI this year for seeking information on environmental issues especially forests, water bodies, waste management etc.
A play on RTI and corruption by a Cultural Group from Wathoora was also presented on the occasion.
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