Dear All,
Over 15 activists and friends were present at the meeting held at Bombay Sarvoday Mandal, Grant Road West, at 5.30 this Sunday. [List & contact details: http://tinyurl.com/March6-2011participants Photos: http://tinyurl.com/March6-2011photos ]
Background & Decisions taken at Earlier Meetings: As you know, the land-encroachers' and builders' mafia is the biggest problem in our cities. We are in the process of forming a Union of RTI Activists, Lawyers, Architects etc. to get a grip on this problem through RTI and other lawful methods available to all citizens. This Union will cover only Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Membership fee Rs 100 per annum. RTI applications will be filed on behalf of members by the Union, and Replies will be received at the Union office, and promptly scanned, uploaded on internet and made freely available to the public. Putting information in public domain will safeguard the life of the RTI applicant / Complainant by removing incentives to threaten, assault or kill him. Union will regularly organize meetings on various topics, addressed by experts such as lawyers and architects. For more details, read this: http://tinyurl.com/March6-2011agenda
On Sunday, we decided how to Immediately begin the Union's work. The Decisions were:
1) Around this weekend, Sudhakar Malpe (Citizens for Just Society) will take us to some architects who will help us to understand key documents that citizens must seek under RTI from various public authorities, for establishing the bonafides of any land use or building project. We will focus on getting these documents in respect of all building projects in respect of FSI, TDR, Conveyance, various NOCs, etc. After these meetings, we will put publish lists of key documents and RTI application formats in the public domain.
2) Prashant Uikey (Prashant.vikey@gmail.com) promised to email Maharashtra guidelines for Redevelopment in Marathi and English, and a sample of RTI application to stop unlawful redevelopment. He has sent some excellent material today. This is the first installment of weapons against redevelopment: http://tinyurl.com/weapons-against-redevelopment and more will follow shortly.
3) Also this weekend, Vasudeva Shenoy will introduce us to experts who will help us understand on the menace that MMR region faces from redevelopment sharks and their touts. This will enable us to publish more information, RTI formats, etc., and to make proper demands from the State Government for policy-level correctional measures.
4) After gathering the above data, G R Vora, Mohd Afzal and other colleagues will prepare lists of key details/documents to be gathered by RTI inspections concerning all ongoing projects from various public authorities such as BMC's Building Proposal department. Through voluntary efforts and financial support from well-wishers, we will gather and upload such details on the internet. In this way, we will put maximum possible information into public domain to empower all RTI activists and citizens of MMR region.
5) The above exercise will serve as a pilot project for meaningful Section 4 compliance for various public authorities concerned with Land & Building. We will then be in a better position to press the Chief Minister to implement RTI Section 4.
6) Thanks to the heroic efforts of our fellow activists working in this field, major and widespread scams impacting all citizens of MMR region are coming to light. Relevant documents will be published very soon.
Warm Regards,
Krish
98215 88114
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