Dear Mr Deka, My views on your 3 critical questions: Why did this happen in the past? simply because of the ineptitude - I dont know if it is deliberate or otherwise - of the state government, whichever political party is in power. And also because of the failure of the civil society organizations to be vigilant about it. And this is the story not only of Assam but also of all other NE states, though I am sure Assam will be among the worst off. Who do you need to educate and how to educate? - All the citizens of Assam, the common people, the intelligentsia, civil society organizations, the media, so that they can jointly put pressure on the government / political set up / bureaucracy to reverse the trend and to tell them that it is their duty to do so. How to- I think it will help if the media and the civil society organizations deal with this issue more and more to create awareness among the people. What amount of fund will go back by December 2007? I have no idea about that. Perhaps somebody in the media based in Guwahati and covering the state government affairs or any other citizen of Assam - can find that out, through an RTI application. <: why journalists, Should journalists have addressed this "fund return culture" professionally & intelligibly the media would have been regarded as "constructive- role-media"> I have not asked why journalists (though I admit it might have sent a different meaning as I inadvertently dropped the word only between the two words), I said everybody including journalists can resort to RTI. And yes, media in Assam, as well as some journalists writing for outside media, have been highlighting these issues. For example, in todays Indian Express, there is a report on how an NGO called Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti used the RTI to unearth a PDS scam in several Upper Assam districts. Even in The Statesman newspapers weekly NE page, such reports on RTI usage have been carried from time to time. Same is true for the local media. Such reportage definitely helps in creating awareness among people about use of such tools.
<So would you care tell us more what you know about newspapers from Assam, so we learn?> Though this sounds a very general question, going by your quote of my earlier just above it, I take that it is related to the use of RTI by the media in Assam. Well, I may be wrong, but going by what I read occasionally on the Net versions of newspapers in Assam, I am not sure any newspaper (or the two private news channels) have yet used RTI yet to find out public-interest information. I hope they will start doing it soon! And if your question was generally about the media in Assam, well it has an over 150-year history. <Any idea why Mrinal does not talk regarding 117 Crores of fund meant for Tea Tribes has gone unaccounted (piled up 8-10 years during the past)? For not receiving the spending details GOI threatened not to pay anymore by year 2008. Should some of the returned funds since 1990 have been professionally utilized some of the communities would not have been on-street-agitation today. Am not I right?> I think only Mrinal can give an answer to that. Yes, I agree that there is a possibility that if those funds had been used, some of the communities would not have been agitating. But thats a possibility only. <So Utpal, do you know any journalist from Assam who ever put together an "investigative report" on "fund return" in the media during past the decade? Please tell us more what journalists have done during the past decade to address this issue. Or tell us why they did not address this issue, what restricted them,> I admit I dont have data of past one decade, but there have been reports about the governments failure to utilise Central funds off and on, thats for sure. I have not done any study, and nor do I have plans to take up one in the immediate future, about this aspect. Maybe, some other journalist or concerned citizen like you will carry out a detailed study on this, which will no doubt immensely benefit the society at large. <Would like to add one more inquiry: What are the differences and similarities between a Reporter and a Journalist?> Just to put that in one line : all reporters definitely fall within the definition of a journalist, but all journalists need not be reporters, as many of them work on the desk, editing copies and producing the newspapers. with regards, Utpal Borpujari It seems Utpal probably Sanjoy too did not get the meaning of my posting :) Here I am explaining again: I have suggested that "solution centric" issues be considered often to discuss. What do I mean by "solution centric"? I have given an exempli gratia, i.e., Assam Government has been returning funds to GOI about December each year with cause for return being "unable to utilize". Then I ask 3 critical questions: Why did this happen in the past? Who do you need to educate and how to educate? What amount of fund will go back by December 2007? Question 4 I ask is like "call for help": Can journalists use RTI to explore facts deeper? Then I have concluded looking for feedback suggestions on this topic. Have I explained okay this time? So Utpal have you understood? do you have answers to skipped 3 questions to share with us? <: If I remember correctly, you had suggested that journalists should file RTI applications <: to find out more about it, to which I had said why journalists, By saying "If I remember correctly" Utpla talks question 4., first 3 questions he skipped :) <: why journalists, Should journalists have addressed this "fund return culture" professionally & intelligibly the media would have been regarded as "constructive- role-media" <: In fact, many newspapers in Delhi have started filing RTI ... The thread is said to be "solution centric" for Assam. So would you care tell us more what you know about newspapers from Assam, so we learn? And, would you care to share your experiences on RTI as well so we know what response you got, relevant to this discussion. In a separate thread I will highlight my experiences on RTI usage. <: I have not filed any PIL as yet - but my friend Mrinal Talukdar, ... Mrinal has a PIL thread in assamonline, but regarding Utpal's prediction I have differing view. "The probability of Assam being a Kerala" is "poor". Any idea why Mrinal does not talk regarding 117 Crores of fund meant for Tea Tribes has gone unaccounted (piled up 8-10 years during the past)? For not receiving the spending details GOI threatened not to pay anymore by year 2008. Should some of the returned funds since 1990 have been professionally utilized some of the communities would not have been on-street-agitation today. Am not I right? Now coming back to Zaman's inquiry, "if in the past Assamese journalists have written any investigative article at all on this topic". So Utpal, do you know any journalist from Assam who ever put together an "investigative report" on "fund return" in the media during past the decade? Please tell us more what journalists have done during the past decade to address this issue. Or tell us why they did not address this issue, what restricted them, ... ... ... Would like to add one more inquiry: What are the differences and similarities between a Reporter and a Journalist? Rabin --- utpal borpujari <[EMAIL PROTECTED] .> wrote: Dear mr Rabin Deka, It seems you have totally misunderstood the meaning of my mail. And I am not against journalists filing RTI applications. In fact, many newspapers in Delhi have started filing RTI applications with various ministries to get information now (Indian Express has done that more than once in recent times). If I remember correctly, you had suggested that journalists should file RTI applications to find out more about it, to which I had said why journalists, anybody else can do that, which means that journalists as well as anybody else can file an RTI application. I have not filed any PIL as yet - but my friend Mrinal Talukdar, who is with UNI, filed a PIL at Gauhati High Court against the culture of bandhs in Assam. It is still pending, quite clearly because the legal process moves slowly. But if it goes the way what Kerala High Court had said earlier, Assam would be free from bandhs. utpal borpujari
