Uttar Pradesh State Information Commission is almost defunct for want of space in a state which has ample space for parks and memorials

Res all ,

Please go through CHAPTER VI ( Miscellaneous ) of RTI act 2005 .
Section 26 of this act at given link -

http://aishwaryaj.hpage.com/chapter_vi__miscellaneous__of__rti_act_2005__section_26__81046228.html

This says that The appropriate Government may, to the extent of
availability of financial and other resources,— develop and organise
educational programmes to advance the understanding of the public, in
particular of disadvantaged communities as to how to exercise the
rights contemplated under this Act; encourage public authorities to
participate in the development and organisation of programmes referred
to in clause (a) and to undertake such programmes themselves; promote
timely and effective dissemination of accurate information by public
authorities about their activities; and train Central Public
Information Officers or State Public Information Officers, as the case
may be, of public authorities and produce relevant training materials
for use by the public authorities themselves.

Uttar Pradesh Government's cold attitude towards RTI act's effective
implementation is known to all so civil societies decided to take the
onus of spreading awareness about RTI act once again . In past many
similar efforts were made by us and Uttar Pradesh became the first
state in India to attract action under section 17 of RTI act against
erring SCIC Sri M. A. Khan . Our letter to obtain permission to
organize a two week R.T.I. – CAMP in U.P.S.I.C. premises from 10th May
2010 is available at given link –

http://aishwaryaj.hpage.com/permission_to_organize_a_two_week_rti_–_camp_in_upsic_premises_from_10th_may_2010___60618181.html

We sent mails to ,
1-Sri R. S. Pankaj , The Chief Information Commissioner , Uttar
Pradesh State Information Commission , Indira Bhawan , Lucknow
, scic.up@up.nic.in
2- Sri Yogendra Singh , The Secretary -Uttar Pradesh State Information
Commission ,Indira Bhawan , Lucknow sec.sic@up.nic.in
With copies to –
1- Sri B. L. Joshi , The Governor of Uttar Pradesh , Lucknow
<hgovup@up.nic.in>,
2- Km. Mayawati , The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh , Lucknow
"cmup" <cmup@nic.in>,
3- The Principal Secretary , Administrative reforms department ,
U. P.Government , Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh "psecup.adminref"
<psecup.adminref@up.nic.in>,

To our utter surprise , nobody except the H.E. governor's Secretariat
responded . They forwarded the letter to the Administrative Reforms
Department ( the nodal department for RTI ) for necessary action. The
letter is available at given link -

http://file1.hpage.com/000223/57/bilder/guv_letter_to_ard_for_camp.bmp

Today I received a letter no. 389/43-2-10-4 ra.su.aa.(4)/2010 Lucknow
dated 12 April 2010 from the Administrative Reforms Department. The
letter is available at given link –

http://file1.hpage.com/000223/57/bilder/ard_letter_denying_for_camp_at_upsic.jpg

A bare perusal of this letter would reveal Uttar Pradesh Government's
intentions to defer compliance of section 26 of right to
information act from 2006 to 2010 .

In a province where there is ample space and money for many parks and
memorials , there is no space for information commission's smooth
functioning .

Thus the Uttar Pradesh info-commission which should open the doors to
participatory democracy for all , is becoming defunct because of
paucity of space.

So far as our camp is concerned , we shall meet H.E. governor for some
alternate venue nearest to UPSIC to meet the objectives of this camp.

Regards

--
Urvashi Sharma
Social Worker
contact - 9369613513
@i$#w@ry@!
rti helpline-8081898081
rti helpmail aishwaryaj2010@gmail.com