The Planning Commission has shot down a proposal of the Central Information Commission (CIC) to bring private entities executing projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, arguing that it is applicable on public authority and not on private companies. "RTI is not Right to Information on private companies. It pertains to information on public authority," deputy chairman of Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, said...
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RTI Activists see red in info commissioners' appointment by Jeeva
RTI Activists are angry with the state government for having appointed three commissioners to the Tamil Nadu Information Commission just before the model code of conduct came into force, with zero transparency. The government announced the appointments on Tuesday, hours before the election commission announced the poll date. Already, the appointment of former chief secretary KS Sripathi as the chief information commissioner is in a legal tangle after RTI Activists...
More »Rough weather in four reserves on Forest Rights Act rollout
In the recent meeting of the apex National Tiger Conservation Authority, members pointed out seven specific instances where Forest Rights Act has been violated in an attempt to hastily declare an area free of people. Environment minister Jairam Ramesh said he would investigate each claim and allegation of violation of FRA. TOI highlights four such reserves. Will he now send a fact finding team to these sites? BRT Tiger reserve,...
More »Bhopal gas victims guinea pigs for drug trials by Hemender Sharma
Bhopal gas victims allege that they are being used as guinea pigs for unethical drug trials without being informed.An RTI has revealed that Bhopal Memorial Hospital has pocketed over Rs 1 crore by allowing pharma companies to conduct clinical trials on disaster victims.Shankar Lal was 33 when the Bhopal Union Carbide leak of 1984 happened. Lal and his pregnant wife Laxmi survived but not their child who died at birth....
More »Sonia's NAC prevails over govt on RTI, Forest Rights Act by Subodh Ghildiyal & Himanshi Dhawan
The Sonia Gandhi-led national advisory council (NAC) has won decisive victories in keeping at bay the governments attempt to regulate right to information and ensuring the pro-tribal Forest Rights Act is made more effective for its intended beneficiaries. On the national Food Security Act -- the third bone of contention between the government and NAC -- the Council at its meeting on Saturday held its ground and advocated a staggered...
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