Journalist and RTI activist Vinita Deshmukh says any individual can use the Right to Information Act for the betterment of society and to find answers to everyday problems. At a Moneylife Foundation workshop, she described numerous instances where common citizens have persisted and succeeded along this road

There was a convict, who was sentenced to prison for murder. However, due to the good conduct he exhibited, he was put in an open cell. But when he protested about the quality of the food in the prison he was shifted back to a closed cell without being given any reason. He used the Right to Information (RTI) Act to obtain a copy of the Indian Prison Manual, then wrote to the media about the injustice done to him, and managed to get back to an open cell.

Narrating this incident at a seminar on 'How to use the RTI Act effectively', Vinita Deshmukh, journalist and RTI activist, said: "If a prisoner can use the RTI Act, why can't we? I don't say that we take on a huge scam, but there are several small matters which directly concern you, and which you can remedy."

Ms Deshmukh presented numerous case studies to illustrate how the RTI Act has been used by individuals for the betterment of society, or to find answers to everyday problems. She described how she had utilised information obtained by using the RTI, to make Pune residents aware of the environmental and civic laws that were being flouted by Dow Chemicals, which planned to set up a chemical plant under the garb of a 'research centre'. Under pressure of a growing popular agitation, the government subsequently called a halt to the project and Dow Chemicals pulled out.

Ms Deshmukh gave examples of how senior citizens, peasants and journalists have used the Act to obtain information and put pressure on the authorities to do their job and stop corruption. "Instead of waiting for 30 days and risking further delay for appellate follow-ups, use Section 4 of the RTI Act which allows any citizen to go to a public authority's office and inspect files and records," she said.

The journalist and RTI activist also talked about how grievances have been addressed almost immediately after filing an RTI application, and how sometimes even files that had gone missing, reappeared miraculously when the information was sought. "Government babus don't show it, but they are scared of the RTI. Use it as often as you can, and it will not only check corruption but also ensure better, speedy and efficient governance," she said.

Ms Deshmukh expressed optimism over the use of RTI in India. "India is much ahead of the United States in the public use of the Right to Information, and if we say that 35% of the applications filed are replied to satisfactorily, that is quite some achievement. If people take up the issue seriously, they can force the government to act properly," she said.

This programme, hosted by Moneylife Foundation, complemented earlier seminars on the RTI issue addressed by Ashok Ravat and Bhaskar Prabhu. Ms Deshmukh writes a column for Moneylife that also focuses on the effective use of RTI. Mr Ravat and Mr Prabhu both described their association with the RTI movement and gave tips on how to use RTI better.