TEAM HERALD
PONDA: All Goa RTI Convention at Marcaim on Sunday unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the State government pass, in the current session of the assembly, the promised amendments to the Goa Lokayukta Act to give it more teeth on the lines of RTI friendly Uttarakand Lokayukta Act.
Apart from this, nine other resolutions were passed during the 1st one-day Rural All Goa Right to Information (RTI) Convention organised by Madkai Nagarik Kruti Sangh and Parampai Citizen Forum in collaboration with Goa RTI Forum at Marcaim Panchayat hall.
The convention was inaugurated by Motilal Keny, ex-Goa State Information Commissioner, in the presence of Nandini Sahai, Director ICG/President Goa RTI Forum, Rt Major General S C N Jatar, Vishwas Sahastrabudhe, Marcaim Sarpanch Shailendra Panjikar and Adv Amrut Kansar. The convention was attended by about 100 RTI activists and the resolutions passed will be forwarded to the concerned government departments.
Members also passed a resolution demanding that Goa Government take all steps possible to ensure that RTI activists are protected from physical attacks, victimization and retribution.
During the convention, National RTI awardee, Rajan Ghate, announced that he will go an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan on April 23 from 5 pm if the government fails to give a concrete assurance on the floor of the house about setting in motion a transparent process to appoint the State Information Commissioners within 15 days.
Later, a resolution was passed unanimously to demand that the government immediately appoint Goa State Chief Information Commissioner and State Information Commissioner in a very transparent manner and accordance with law.
Other resolutions passed are strongly oppose any move by the Central government to effect any amendments which would dilute the essence of Right to Information Act 2005. The convention also demanded that Goa Government ensure proper implementation of Section 4 of the RTI Act in letter and spirit to ensure total transparency and accountability as envisaged in the RTI Act, every panchayat and municipal council in the State have a website and it be regularly updated, 50% of Public Information Officers in all government offices be women, etc.
