Excellent, Odisha

The efforts made by the Odisha Government in mitigating the loss to human lives caused by cyclone ‘Fani’ is laudable. Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha, and his entire team have done a fantastic job. Other States would do well to learn from this and work towards minimising losses when disasters, natural or man-made, strike. This is even more important for States like Assam and Bihar where many lives are lost, especially due to floods. A benchmark in disaster management has been set by Odisha for other States to emulate.

Nagaon, Assam

While the basic objective of the Right to Information Act, 2005, is to empower the citizens, promote transparency and accountability in the workings of the government, contain corruption and make democracy work for the people in the real sense, it has of late become a ‘Right to Deny Information Act’.

More and more departments deny the information sought under the RTI Act, if the information is sought in the form of questions. They often site Section 2 [f] of the Act to deny the information.

While Section 2 [f] of the Act states that “information” means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, emails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force, it does not state that it cannot be sought in the form of questions.

Even if it is sought in the form of questions, what does it matter to the department as long as the information sought is relevant and pertaining to the subject. Denial of information will only make people attach motives.

E-mail

With reference to ‘Can’t ensure cheaper oil for India, says US’ (May 7), US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross seems to be keeping only his country’s interests in mind. His self-serving plea that “oil is owned by private people, so the government cannot force people to make concessionary prices” will hit us hard. The US sanctions against Iran could play havoc with our forex reserves as we would be forced to buy crude oil from the global market at much higher rates.

How come that the US is now bent on penalising nations like India which are not even remotely linked with the ongoing US-Iran war of supremacy?

The UNSC should urge the Trump administration not to act in an arrogant and authoritarian manner just to fulfil its own political ambitions.

Needless to say, India must also strongly resist these arm-twisting tactics being adopted by the world’s super cop for some obvious reasons.

New Delhi

This is with reference to ‘Why India struggles to cope with droughts’ (May 7). It is pathetic to note that even after 72 years of Independence we are still dependent on monsoon for our agriculture. This is because we have failed to construct dams, conserve water in a scientific manner and put in place other means of providing water for agriculture. Sensitising people to use water prudently, encouraging/educating farmers for alternative employment, storing foodgrains securely are some of the measures that will save us from drought-like situations. NGOs, government agencies and retired bureaucrats should be engaged in this activity, which should be done on a priority basis.

Thane

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