Date: 30-08-2011 by email & post
To,
General Manager,
Western Railways, Head Quarters
Churchgate, Mumbai 400020
Email: gm@wr.railnet.gov.in
Dear Sir,
Subject: Eggs and omlets at Vegetarian Dinning Hall
I happened to visit Vegetarian Dinning Hall on platform No. 3 of Bharuch [Gujarat] railway station on 30-11-2010 at about 7.45 pm for refreshment. I was shocked to see trays full of eggs in vegetarian dinning hall of railways. I being Jain enquired with the contractor/ Incharge as to how eggs are being stored in a vegetarian dinning hall. He informed me that he is permitted by railways to serve omelet and eggs in this vegetarian restaurant and pointed out to menu board which showed these items. I enquired from Dy. Station Superintendent on duty but none of the staff was aware of exact situation.
2 I filed RTI application with CPIO of Railway Board, New Delhi and I have been supplied papers and information by Addl DRM, Vadodara vide his letter No. G542/1/2011/62 dated 23-08-2011.
3. As per copy of agreement for refreshment room / restaurant dated 01-04-1991 with Shri Ismail M. Malek and Railway Administration the licensee [contractor] of Bharuch station is prohibited from serving or cooking or using eggs and products of eggs as per clause No. 21, which reads as under:
“21. The Licensee [s] shall not sell or bring on the premises tinned or otherwise, cooked or uncooked beef or any other part of the cow’s flesh, bacon, ham or pork.
The Licensee [s] shall not serve, cook or use fish, meat or eggs or their products in any form or shape in the Vegetarian Refreshment Room and shall also ensure that cooking vessels and other utensils in the Vegetarian Refreshment Room are not used for cooking or handling these articles. [This will apply to Vegetarian Refreshment Rooms only].”
3. Not only Dy Station Superintendent on duty was not aware of the position of storing, serving or selling eggs and its products in Vegetarian Refreshment Rooms, officers at Vadodara with whom Dy. SS talked on phone on 30-11-2010 and 01-12-2010 were not aware of exact rules regarding this issue. Hence I had to resort to RTI.
4. By a separate RTI application I am seeking copies of inspection reports if any carried by railways of such Restaurants to find out how such serious irregularity affecting religion of passengers could not be located and checked by inspecting officials.
5. There is every possibility that at other stations such Vegetarian Refreshment Rooms may be selling, storing, serving eggs and its preparationdsor such other non-vegetarian items.
6. I shall be shortly consulting advocates for filing a writ petition against railway administration on this issue for connivance or negligence on the part of railways to maintain sanctity of religion of passengers.
7. In case there is change in policy or rules [and CPIO may not be knowing it], at least prominent notice boards outside and inside such halls should be exhibited stating that eggs or its preparations are sold here, so that passengers may decide whether to consume other items in such halls or not. Right to know is a consumers right under Consumer Protection Act.
8. In the mean while I request you to kindly intervene in the matter and ensure that eggs and its preparations are not sold, served or stored in Vegetarian Dinning Halls at any of the stations of Railways, as prohibited in said agreement. I and my friends will be continuously visiting such halls to check compliance with rules of railways by licensees [contractors] on this score.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
J. P Shah
Copy to
1. Chairman, Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, New Delhi 110 001
Email: crb@rb.railnet.gov.in
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
BANK BOWS TO RTI PUNCHES
One of my friend’s friend was having problem with a bank for finance for his small scale industry. He was trying to get finance for last 10-12 months and bank officers were just harassing him in one or the other way and by misinterpretation of circulars and RBI guidelines etc. He had approached all offices from branch to regional office to zonal office and Chairman’s office and RBI, but did not get positive results.
He contacted me through my friend. I studied his file and concluded that bank officers are unnecessarily harassing him, may be for bribe or just to enjoy predicament of common man. In a period of 15 days we filed 5 RTI applications seeking detailed information on processing of his application and copies of circulars. One RTI was filed with RBI also. In next 15 days bank officers who used to insult him, avoid him and harass him in all possible ways invited him for a meeting at regional office which lasted for nearly 3 hours. They became positive and humble with RTI punches and in next 10 days bank completed all formalities with promptness and cooperation and put the finance at his disposal.
RTI works.
He contacted me through my friend. I studied his file and concluded that bank officers are unnecessarily harassing him, may be for bribe or just to enjoy predicament of common man. In a period of 15 days we filed 5 RTI applications seeking detailed information on processing of his application and copies of circulars. One RTI was filed with RBI also. In next 15 days bank officers who used to insult him, avoid him and harass him in all possible ways invited him for a meeting at regional office which lasted for nearly 3 hours. They became positive and humble with RTI punches and in next 10 days bank completed all formalities with promptness and cooperation and put the finance at his disposal.
RTI works.
Friday, August 12, 2011
ANSWER SHEETS UNDER RTI- SUPREME COURT.
Answer sheets of board/university/public service commissions/professional exams
can be obtained/inspected by students
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELALTE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO.6454 OF 2011
[Arising out of SLP [C] No.7526/2009]
Central Board of Secondary Education & Anr. … Appellants
Vs.
Aditya Bandopadhyay & Ors. … Respondents
Date of judgement 09-08-2011
Full judgement at:
http://www.judis.nic.in/supremecourt/helddis3.aspx
CA No. 6456 of 2011 [@ SLP (C) No.9755 of 2009 - WEST BENGAL BOARD OF SEC.EDUN.& ORS Vs. CHIEF INFOR.COMMR.W.B.INFORMN.COMMN.&ORS ]
CA Nos.6457-6458 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) Nos.11162-11163 of 2009: W.BENGAL BOARD OF SEC.EDUCATION & ORS. XVI Vs. STATE CHIEF INF.COMMR. WEST BENGAL&ORS. )
CA No.6461 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) No.11670 of 2009- UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA & ORS. Vs. PRITAM ROOJ & ANR.
CA Nos.6462 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) No.13673 of 2009: WEST BENGAL COUNL.OF HIG.SEC.EDU.& ANR. Vs. PRITAM ROOJ & ORS)
CA Nos.6464 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) No.17409 of 2009: CHAIRMAN,W.B. CENT.SCHOOL SERV.COMMN Vs. PRITAM ROOJ & ORS.
CA Nos. 6459 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) No.9776 of 2010 : INST.OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF INDIA )
CA Nos.6465-6468 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) Nos.30858-30861 of 2009: ASSAM PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION & ORS. Vs. HAMEN BHARALI & ORS)
Source:
http://causelists.nic.in/scnew/otues/sl.html
Thus it covers exams conducted by CBSE, STATE BOARDS, UNIVERSITIES, PROFESSIONAL BODIES, PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONS. It is doubtful if it can be applied to departmental promotion exams, though ratio can be reasonably extended to such exams/tests.
can be obtained/inspected by students
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELALTE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO.6454 OF 2011
[Arising out of SLP [C] No.7526/2009]
Central Board of Secondary Education & Anr. … Appellants
Vs.
Aditya Bandopadhyay & Ors. … Respondents
Date of judgement 09-08-2011
Full judgement at:
http://www.judis.nic.in/supremecourt/helddis3.aspx
CA No. 6456 of 2011 [@ SLP (C) No.9755 of 2009 - WEST BENGAL BOARD OF SEC.EDUN.& ORS Vs. CHIEF INFOR.COMMR.W.B.INFORMN.COMMN.&ORS ]
CA Nos.6457-6458 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) Nos.11162-11163 of 2009: W.BENGAL BOARD OF SEC.EDUCATION & ORS. XVI Vs. STATE CHIEF INF.COMMR. WEST BENGAL&ORS. )
CA No.6461 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) No.11670 of 2009- UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA & ORS. Vs. PRITAM ROOJ & ANR.
CA Nos.6462 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) No.13673 of 2009: WEST BENGAL COUNL.OF HIG.SEC.EDU.& ANR. Vs. PRITAM ROOJ & ORS)
CA Nos.6464 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) No.17409 of 2009: CHAIRMAN,W.B. CENT.SCHOOL SERV.COMMN Vs. PRITAM ROOJ & ORS.
CA Nos. 6459 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) No.9776 of 2010 : INST.OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF INDIA )
CA Nos.6465-6468 of 2011 (@ SLP (C) Nos.30858-30861 of 2009: ASSAM PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION & ORS. Vs. HAMEN BHARALI & ORS)
Source:
http://causelists.nic.in/scnew/otues/sl.html
Thus it covers exams conducted by CBSE, STATE BOARDS, UNIVERSITIES, PROFESSIONAL BODIES, PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONS. It is doubtful if it can be applied to departmental promotion exams, though ratio can be reasonably extended to such exams/tests.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
NO REPLY TO YOUR RTI APPLICATION ?
NO REPLY TO YOUR RTI APPLICATION?
You have following options:
1. File first appeal for no reply by referring:
First Appeal for no reply to RTI application:
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/jps50/1877-first-appeal-non-reply-rti-application.html
2. Resort to Consumer Protection Act 1986 by referring:
Additional Remedy
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/jps50/719-additional-remedy-information-seekers.html
Consumer Notice
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/jps50/1217-notice-under-consumer-protection-act-right-information-act.html
3. File another RTI application by referring:
Pending? :
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/jps50/69-any-thing-pending-govt.html
File this RTI application with CPIO of highest office of public authority i.e. Head Office, Ministry or Concerned Dept at State Capital.
4. File complaint with State or National Human Rights Commission:
As per news reports, few years back, Bihar Human Rights Commission had admitted complaint against breach of right to information. Fate is not known but it can also be tried out. Dr. Rao of Mysore opened up RTI to Consumer Protection Mechnism. Similarly new avenue can be opened up under Human Rights for RTI. I quote:
Access to government information is a human right, according to a commentary issued in July, 2011 by the United Nations' Human Rights Committee. The comment is the most comprehensive statement to date embracing freedom of information as integral to human rights under international law.
Above steps can be initiated at any stage of RTI process.
You have following options:
1. File first appeal for no reply by referring:
First Appeal for no reply to RTI application:
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/jps50/1877-first-appeal-non-reply-rti-application.html
2. Resort to Consumer Protection Act 1986 by referring:
Additional Remedy
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/jps50/719-additional-remedy-information-seekers.html
Consumer Notice
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/jps50/1217-notice-under-consumer-protection-act-right-information-act.html
3. File another RTI application by referring:
Pending? :
http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/blogs/jps50/69-any-thing-pending-govt.html
File this RTI application with CPIO of highest office of public authority i.e. Head Office, Ministry or Concerned Dept at State Capital.
4. File complaint with State or National Human Rights Commission:
As per news reports, few years back, Bihar Human Rights Commission had admitted complaint against breach of right to information. Fate is not known but it can also be tried out. Dr. Rao of Mysore opened up RTI to Consumer Protection Mechnism. Similarly new avenue can be opened up under Human Rights for RTI. I quote:
Access to government information is a human right, according to a commentary issued in July, 2011 by the United Nations' Human Rights Committee. The comment is the most comprehensive statement to date embracing freedom of information as integral to human rights under international law.
Above steps can be initiated at any stage of RTI process.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
A Puncturing Joke on Jokepal Bill
Sibbal to Anna: Annaji, Govt has accepted your entire draft word-by-word. Only minor rider is necessary.
Anna to Sibbal; Oh I am happy, by the way what is the rider? Sibbalji.
Sibbal to Anna; Govt and politicians and babus want last section of bill to read as under:
“If complainant cannot 100% prove charges within one year, he and his entire family will have to undergo rigorous imprisonment for their remaining lives in jail in Pakistan [or alternatively Andamans] and their property will stand confiscated to anti-corruption corpus of Govt.”
Anna: Hey Ram!
Anna to Sibbal; Oh I am happy, by the way what is the rider? Sibbalji.
Sibbal to Anna; Govt and politicians and babus want last section of bill to read as under:
“If complainant cannot 100% prove charges within one year, he and his entire family will have to undergo rigorous imprisonment for their remaining lives in jail in Pakistan [or alternatively Andamans] and their property will stand confiscated to anti-corruption corpus of Govt.”
Anna: Hey Ram!
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