The Number Game
Everyone says there is power in numbers so we decided to give you a few numbers of our own.

Over a short period of time the Latika Roy Foundation Awareness Campaign has assisted over 10,000 people to get concession certificates at the CMO desk. They have trained 500 CBR workers and worked with 4,000 students.
Its not just small gatherings that they have there hold on but are equally capable of educating and handling large numbers. This can be proven by the fact that they have had 3 successful melas consisting of a few hundred people and conducted over 15 nukkad nataks all over the city.
We know the value of numbers and realize the effect of a united stand. Our aim is to involve, educate and support everyone who shares our passion and vision of an inclusive society. We have created a network of 24 hospitals and nursing homes. We have 21 NGO partners who are equally determined and focused in working for this cause.

Awareness is an important aspect of life and no cause can ever be completed without people being aware of it. When the Right to Information Act was introduced we realized how important this tool is for people in our field and therefore we have conducted several RTI workshops in educational institutions, corporate and social service organization. We have also put in 8 RTIs and it was through these RTIs that we found out about the disparity between the number of people with disabilities and voting machines for them. This information was made public through an article written by one of our team members. The article was published in the local newspaper ‘Garhwal Post’. The article helped raise questions that we hope will be answered by the next election!

Okay a quick rewind of numbers 10,000 people helped at the CMO Desk, 4,000 students made aware, 500 CBR workers trained, 3 Melas, 15 nukkad nataks, 24 hospitals and nursing homes, 21 NGO partners and 8 RTIs filed.

8 team members, 1 organization.
This is the power of numbers.

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Mehendi at Latika Vihar

We recently started a new activity at Latika Vihar and as you can see the children love it! The best thing about mehendi is that it is simple activity which teaches us how to share, draw and wait for our turn. Children are first made to draw patterns on paper. Then they are given a packet of mehendi to mix and put in the keep. Then they outline the pattern with mehendi before finally applying mehendi on their hands.  

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WE ARE OPEN!
When we think of a rainbow we think about all the vibrant colors it contains. Our children too are like the colors of the rainbow. They are all vibrant, unique and have a purpose to fulfill.
Almost everyone we know is aware of Rainbow Sale (previously known as Rainbow Resale). On the outside it is a thrift shop which also has second hand goods. But on the inside there is a lot more to it. It is the place where dreams become realities. We are not just using flowery language, we really mean it. Every parent dreams of the day when their child will start earning a livelihood. Every child dreams of financial independence.
Parents at the College for Vocational Training always worried about the future of their children. A question that always nagged many of them was, “What will their child do after they leave CVT?” This question is what led to Rainbow Resale which was an employment initiative for people with special needs. Rainbow started in 2008 in a small room in Latika Vihar. It then shifted to Sethi Market, Vasant Vihar. After being there for almost 15 months Rainbow shifted back to Latika Vihar but this time it could no longer be contained in a small room.

The shift had caused Rainbow to be closed for almost two months. We had to let people know that it was back. We had to declare its reopening in a grand manner that it deserved. So on Sunday, July 19, 2009 we held a Mela at Latika Vihar. The mela was a huge success and Rainbow was opened in its new avatar asRainbow Sale.
The idea and purpose behind Rainbow remains the same. Poor people need not take what they get but have a choice to buy what they want. Our friends and well wishers donate good quality books, clothes, shoes, bags, household items etc which are refurbished by our students and then put up for sale. They sew misplaced buttons, mend tears, iron and fold clothes and make paper bags to put the merchandise in.

The one thing that has definitely changed in Rainbow is the helper! Rainbow Sale is no longer for the grown ups, the children in Latika Vihar have taken over the place and decided to teach us a lesson or two about true friendship and inclusion. From the games stall at the Mela to the sorting of the clothes, from manning the shop to keeping accounts the children at Latika Vihar are there with their friends from CVT at every step.
What we thought was just an employment initiative has become something bigger. And so we hope with time it will grow.

For those who love a bargain Rainbow Sale is open every Sunday from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at Latika Vihar, 135 Vasant Vihar, Phase I. See you there!

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NEW EIC
They say that when life closes one door it opens another.
That is exactly what happened with us when almost two months ago the Early Intervention Centre had to shift base from St. Joseph’s Academy. We have had a long and beautiful relationship with the school and thank the administration for all the support and love that they have given us over the years. It was heartbreaking to leave what had become our home but it had to be done.
We were now franticly looking for a place where our children could go play, grow and get therapy. This is when an old friend, Jyoti Sood came through for us. She had a home lying vacant in East Canal Road which she graciously gave to us.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her gesture of friendship.Without much ado we packed our bags and were ready to leave. As you can see the children too had a great time loading and unloading luggage!
The house is centrally located, easily accessible and beautiful. The white gate opens to a small lawn with a huge tree and a non intrusive cream coloured building. It had been lying vacant for a while so there was much work to do before opening it to the children.

So the staff of the EIC got down to making the rooms barrier free and colourful enough for the children. It was hard work because children are the toughest critics to please! As you can see the hard work too was great fun with the staff painting and cleaning each other as much as the walls! This is what our new EIC finally looks like post the creativity unleashed by the staff!
Welcome to our new home at 55 B, E.C. Road, Near Dwarka Stores. Our phone number has not changed (+91-35-6458540)

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Priansh's Story
I wanted to write an article about the growth of the foundation. It seemed very simple all I needed were a few numbers. After all, success in the world is measured by numbers. But I was wrong this was not a simple task. The reason for the trouble was - We do not have numbers to measure. How do I measure the joy a parent feels when their child raises his head for the first time or learns to respond to his name? How do I measure the smiles that our children give and the pride we feel when they roll down a small hill while on a picnic? This was not going to be an easy task!
Having realized that I can not measure our success in typical ways I decided to study the impact that our services have made on the parents of our students. The best way to do so was to meet a parent whose child has ‘grown’ in the foundation. I wanted to meet a parent whose child had graduated from the EIC to the Karuna Vihar School.

This is how I met Priya and this is her story.Priya loves to dance and was in fact teaching dance at her school in Bombay when she had to be rushed to the hospital to deliver her son. She named her son Priansh, which literally means a part of Priya! She knew her son was different, he was a little slower than other children but she just assumed he wanted to grow at his own pace and a part of her did not want to accept that her son was not ‘normal’.
Priya’s friend who is a doctor met Priansh when he was 6 months old. She convinced Priya to take Priansh to a doctor as she suspected he had Cerebral Palsy. Priya stayed in Bombay for 3 months after the diagnosis. Recalling those three months she says” They were the most horrible months of my life. Doctors in Bombay told me that my son is mad and that he will never improve and that there is nothing they can do for him. Every time I saw him I cried, I didn’t know what to do but I knew one thing I could not give up on my son.”
Her mother who lives in Dehradun had heard about Karuna Vihar. She visited the EIC and decided to call her daughter and grandson home. Priya was still not ready to accept that her child needed to go to a special school plus the financial implications scared her a bit.  She met Jo, Moy Moy and Linda at a summer camp organized by her sister. After speaking with them she agreed to send Priansh to EIC.
 A decision she has no regrets about.
She told me about how when Priansh first came to EIC he was unable to sit, talk or move but now the physical and social development has been wonderful. When I asked her what according to her was the most impressive development. She said there were too many. His neck and hand movement are outstanding. His ability to understand too has improved a lot. When he finishes using the bathroom he puts his hand on the tap to let his mother know its time for a wash.  She describes how Priansh loves to watch cricket and makes a noise every time the player hits a six! He can call out to his mother and father and loves to see his mother dance. She talked about how he laughs every time he sees a particular dance movement of hers.
Though every small move or sound he makes is a milestone but there were two things that moved her to tears.
Almost three months ago she was called for his review meeting and was shown a clipping where Priansh sat up straight on his own for nearly 5 whole minutes! She had never thought Priansh would be able to sit up but there he was proving her wrong.
Another achievement that she likes to highlight often is when he first blew a candle. She even remembers the date – April 28. She told me how after that she made him blow candles almost everyday at home!
I know for many people out there it is difficult to understand how such small things matter so much. But they do and that is why I realized how truly difficult it is for any of us to measure our impact or success because as Priya said” human beings are greedy. We always want more. With every move that you make my son achieve I expect more from you”. No, we can not measure our success because we are not dealing in numbers. We are dealing with people and their expectations which we intend to fulfill to the best level we can.

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Back to College!
Children love holidays but there are a few who prefer going to school or in this case, back to college!
The College for Vocational Training reopened on Monday, July 13 and I being one of those people who prefer holidays to college expected a lot of gloomy faces on the first day. But was I in for a shock!
I met Sana, Sakshi, Megha, Nidhi and Abha and none of them looked like they were missing holidays. When I asked them what they like better, Holidays or College, I got a unanimous answer, College.
They preferred being back because all their friends are here. Sana said college is fun because they always have something to do and never get bored.

Since this was definitely not the answer I was looking for I left the girls alone to continue sorting the art and craft cupboard and decided to question the boys.
Using his communication book Amanpreet told me how he spent most of his holiday playing cricket, eating mangoes and chicken. On being asked the question, he too told me that he preferred coming to college because he gets to eat with his friends and learn new things.

Seeing them saying their prayer before sitting down to eat, I realized that they all prefer coming back here because this is not just their college, it is a place where they have grown up, learnt to be independent, a place where they are loved and appreciated for who they are and what they can be. CVT is not college, it is home.

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What is Mood Disorder?
Everyone experiences "highs" and "lows" in life, but people with mood disorders experience them with greater intensity and for longer periods of time than most people. Mood disorders, also called affective disorders, are a group of illnesses that have as their distinguishing characteristic an experience of mood that is unusual for the circumstances.
Common mood disorders include unipolar disorders, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, cyclothymia, schizoaffective disorder, and seasonal affective disorder. Most mood disorders are at least somewhat treatable with drugs and psychotherapy.
Different types of Mood Disorders
Though there are different types of mood disorders they can be broadly classified under three categories:

• Major depressive disorder
• Bipolar disorders
• Substance-induced mood disorders

Major depressive disorder, also known as Unipolar disorder, major depression, or clinical depression, is when a single mood exists to an unhealthy degree. Depression is the most common unipolar disorder; a person with depression feels "very low." Symptoms may include: feelings of hopelessness, changes in eating patterns, disturbed sleep, constant tiredness, an inability to have fun, and thoughts of death or suicide.

There are different types of depressions like: Dysthymia (similar to major depression but less intense and longer lasting. It lasts for at least two years). Psychotic Depression (The patient has auditory and visual hallucinations). Catatonic depression (is a rare and severe form of major depression involving disturbances of motor behavior and other symptoms. Here the person is mute and either immobile or exhibits purposeless or even bizarre movements) and Postpartum Depression (can occur anytime post-delivery to one year after delivery after pregnancy).

Mania is another of the unipolar mood disorders. Mania is essentially the inverted state of depression, often characterized by an unrealistically high self-image, a lack of sleep accompanied by little or no fatigue, runaway trains of thought, engaging in potentially harmful pleasurable activities to an alarming degree, distractibility, and an increased agitation of movement.

Bipolar Disorder is also sometimes referred to as manic depression, is a mood disorder in which both the states of mania and depression exist at different times. Someone suffering from bipolar disorder will likely experience a period of mania, followed by a period of depression. These shifts usually follow a set pattern, with mood changes occurring anywhere from once every few months to, in some rare cases, once every few hours. The subtypes include Cyclothymia(a mild form of Bipolar Disorder consisting of periods in which symptoms of hypomania or depression are present but do not constitute a major manic or depressive episode) and Bipolar I & II.
We know that bipolar disorder is characterized by an abrupt change of moods from an energetic mania to the lowest depressive state, both bipolar I & II share the same characteristics in mood swing levels. But there is a difference in the two.
The bipolar I disorder is characterized based on the occurrence of at least one manic episode, with or without the occurrence of a major depressive episode. The mania in this diagnosis is full-blown. Symptoms of this type include the following:

• Self-esteem is high and the patient possesses a great deal of confidence.
• Ambitious attitude is apparent in this state.
• There is the feeling of sleeplessness.
• The patient tends to talk excessively.
• The patient has a tendency to think more than the usual.

The bipolar II disorder is characterized by the occurrence of at least one hypomania episode and one major depressive state. Sometimes, this type may even have more than one occurrence of depressive episodes.

Substance Induced Mood disorder is characterized by depressions or manic episodes which develop during either

• a time when the person is taking a medication which causes the depression or the manic symptoms
• a time when the person is intoxicated by a drug
• a time when the person is withdrawing from an intoxicating drug

It can either be a maniac disorder or a depressive disorder. The symptoms are the same as any other maniac/depression episode.
Mood disorders are quite common in the modern world, but they often go untreated for long periods of time, because many people have trouble accepting that they are suffering from an illness, rather than “normal” depression or mania. Luckily, treatment is available, and there is a growing amount of public recognition of mood disorders as illnesses which can, and should, be treated. For those interested in further details we have given the reference sites below.
This is not a medical article. In case you feel you or someone you know has symptoms similar to the ones mentioned above please visit the nearest doctor for correct diagnosis.
References:
http://bipolar.about.com/od/cyclothymia/Cyclothymia.htm
http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Postpartum-depression.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catatonia
http://www.healthyplace.com/depression/main/psychotic-depression/menu-id-68/
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/d/dysthymia/intro.htm
http://www.depression-help-for-you.com

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What is Down Syndrome?

Down syndrome is named after Dr John Langdon Haydon Down who identified this disorder in 1886. He was a doctor in an English hospital working with people with mental disabilities. He only identified the symptoms; the causes were identified by a French geneticist Jérôme Jean Louis Marie Lejeune almost 100 years later. Down syndrome is also called Trisomy 21. It affects about 1 in every 800 babies.
What causes Down syndrome?
At the time of conception a baby inherits genetic information from its parents in the form of chromosomes. Chromosomes are thread-like structures within each cell and are made up of genes. Genes provide the information that determines everything about people, from hair color to whether they are girls or boys. Normally each child has 46 chromosomes: 23 from the mother and 23 from the father. In most cases of Down syndrome, the child gets an extra chromosome 21 — for a total of 47 chromosomes instead of 46.  This extra genetic material causes problems with the way their bodies develop.

Although no one knows for sure why down syndrome occurs and there's no way to prevent the chromosomal error that causes it, scientists do know that women age 35 and older have a significantly higher risk of having a child with the condition. At age 30, for example, a woman has about a 1 in 900 chance of conceiving a child with Down syndrome. Those odds increase to about 1 in 350 by age 35. By 40 the risk rises to about 1 in 100.

What are the symptoms?
Babies with Down syndrome tend to be unusually quiet, less responsive, and weak. Other physical signs may include:

• Flat face
• Small head
• Flat bridge of the nose
• Smaller than normal, low-set nose
• Small mouth, causing the tongue to stick out and look unusually large
• Upward slanting eyes
• Extra folds of skin at the inside corner of each eye
• Rounded cheeks
• Small, misshaped ears
• Small, wide hands
• A deep crease across the center of each palm
• A malformed fifth finger
• A wide space between the big and second toes
• Unusual creases on the soles of the feet
• Shorter than normal height

Children with Down syndrome usually have trouble learning and are slower to learn how to talk and take care of themselves. But despite their challenges, they can go to regular schools, make friends, enjoy life, and get jobs when they're older. Getting special help early when they are just babies and toddlers can be the key to healthier, happier, more independent lives. Though Down syndrome can't be prevented, it can be detected before a child is born. The health problems that can go along with it can be treated by doctors.

Medical Problems Associated With Down syndrome
About half of babies with Down syndrome are born with heart defects, which means their hearts developed differently and don't work as they should. Usually, these problems can be corrected by surgery. Some babies may have intestinal problems that also require surgery to fix. All infants with Down syndrome should be evaluated by a pediatric cardiologist.

Children with Down syndrome are more likely to get infections that affect their lungs and breathing. When they do get infections, they often last longer. They may have eye or ear problems or digestion problems like constipation. Regular evaluations by an audiologist and an ophthalmologist are necessary to detect and correct any problems before they affect language and learning skills. Some may develop leukemia, a type of cancer. Each person with Down syndrome is different and may have one, several, or all of these problems. Other medical conditions that may occur more frequently in children with down syndrome include thyroid problems, intestinal abnormalities, seizure disorders, respiratory problems, obesity, an increased susceptibility to infection, and a higher risk of childhood leukemia. Upper neck abnormalities are sometimes found and should be evaluated by a physician (these can be detected by cervical spine X-rays). Fortunately, many of these conditions are treatable.

Children with Down syndrome tend to grow and develop more slowly than other children do. They may start walking or talking later than other babies. Special help, such as physical therapy and speech therapy, can give children a boost with their walking and talking skills. Children with Down syndrome can and do learn, and are capable of developing skills throughout their lives. They simply reach goals at a different pace — which is why it's important not to compare a child with down syndrome against typically developing siblings or even other children with the condition.

Prenatal Screening and Diagnosis
Two types of prenatal tests are used to detect Down syndrome in a fetus: screening tests and diagnostic tests. Screening tests estimate the risk that a fetus has; diagnostic tests can tell whether the fetus actually has the condition.

Screening tests are cost-effective and easy to perform. But because they can't give a definitive answer as to whether a baby has Down syndrome, these tests are used to help parents decide whether to have more diagnostic tests. Diagnostic tests are about 99% accurate in detecting Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. However, because they're performed inside the uterus, they are associated with a risk of miscarriage and other complications.

For this reason, invasive diagnostic testing previously was generally recommended only for women age 35 or older, those with a family history of genetic defects, or those who've had an abnormal result on a screening test. However, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) now recommends that all pregnant women be offered screening with the option for invasive diagnostic testing for Down syndrome, regardless of age. Screening tests include:

• Nuchal translucency testing
• The triple screen or quadruple screen
• Integrated screen
• A genetic ultrasound

Diagnostic tests include:

• Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
• Amniocentesis
• Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS)

After a baby is born, if the doctor suspects Down syndrome based on the infant's physical characteristics, a karyotype — a blood or tissue sample stained to show chromosomes grouped by size, number, and shape — can be performed to verify the diagnosis. If you're unsure about which test, if any, is right for you, your doctor can help you sort through the pros and cons of each.

Breaking Myths
It is not contagious, so you can't catch it from someone else.
No one gets Down syndrome later in life.
Down syndrome is caused by a problem with a chromosome. But doctors aren't sure why this chromosome problem happens to some babies. It's nothing the parents did before the child was born. Anyone can have a baby with Down syndrome but the older the mother, the greater the risk.
Many children with Down syndrome go to regular schools and may attend regular classes. Some may need special classes to help them in areas where they have more trouble learning.
They play sports and participate in activities, such as music lessons or dance classes.

Getting Help
If you're the parent of a child diagnosed with Down syndrome, you may at first feel overwhelmed by feelings of loss, guilt, and fear. Talking with other parents of kids with Down syndrome may help you deal with the initial shock and grief and find ways to look toward the future. Many parents find that learning as much as they can about Down syndrome helps alleviate some of their fears.
Experts recommend enrolling kids with Down syndrome in early-intervention services as soon as possible. Physical, occupational, and speech therapists and early-childhood educators can work with your child to encourage and accelerate development.
Today, many kids with Down syndrome go to school and enjoy many of the same activities as other kids their age. A few go on to college. Many children transition to semi-independent living. Still others continue to live at home but are able to hold jobs, thus finding their own success in the community.

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Frequently Asked Questions - How to use Right to Information

How do I locate the full Act?

The full Act in Hindi and English is available on the website of Department of Personnel and Training www.persmin.nic.in.

Who will give me the information?

One or more existing officers in every Government Department have been designated as Public Information Officers (PIO). These PIOs act like nodal officers. You have to file your applications with them. They are responsible for collecting information sought by you from various wings of that Department and providing that information to you. In addition, several officers have been appointed as Assistant Public Information Officers (APIOs). Their job is only to accept applications from the public and forward it to the right PIO.

Where do I submit the application?

You can do that with the PIO or with APIO. In the case of all Central Government Departments, 629 post offices have been designated as APIOs. This means that you can go to any of these post offices and submit your fee and application at the RTI counter in these post offices. They will issue you a receipt and acknowledgement and it is the responsibility of that post office to deliver it to the right PIO. The list of these post offices is given at http://www.indiapost.gov.in/rtimanual16a.html

Is there any fee? How do I deposit that?

Yes, there is an application fee. For Central Government Departments, it is Rupees 10. However, different states have prescribed different fee. For details see rules framed by the states on this website. For getting information, you have to pay Rupees 2 per page of information provided for Central Government Departments. It is different for different states. Similarly, there is a fee for inspection of documents. There is no fee for first hour of inspection, but after that, you have to pay Rupees 5 for every subsequent hour or fraction thereof. This is according to Central Rules. For each state, see respective state rules. You can deposit fee wither in cash or through a DD or bankers cheque or postal order drawn in favor of that public authority. In some states, you can buy court fee stamps and affix it on your application. This would be treated as if you have deposited the fee. You can then deposit your application either by post or by hand.

What should I do if the PIO or the concerned Department does not accept my application?

You can send it by post. You should also make a formal complaint to the respective Information Commission under section 18. The Information Commissioner has the power to impose a penalty of Rupees 25000 on the concerned officer who refused to accept your application.

Is there an application form for seeking information?

For Central Government Departments, there is no form. You should apply on a plain sheet of paper like an ordinary application. However, many states and some ministries and departments have prescribed formats. You should apply in these formats. Please read rules of respective states to know

How can I apply for information?

Draft your application on a normal sheet of paper and submit it by post or in person to the Public Information Officer (PIO). [Remember to keep a copy of the application for your personal reference]
How can I deposit my application fee?

Every state has a different mode of payment for application fee. Generally, you can deposit your application fee via:

• In person by paying cash [remember to take your receipt]
• By Post through:
• Demand Draft
• Indian Postal Order
• Money orders (only in some states)
• Affixing Court fee Stamp (only in some states)
• Banker’s cheque

Some state governments have prescribed some head of account. You are required to deposit fee in that account. For that, you can either go to an SBI branch and deposit cash in that account and attach the deposit receipt with your RTI application or you can send a postal order or a DD drawn in favour of that account along with your RTI application.

Can I submit my application only with the PIO?

No, in case the PIO is not available you can submit your application with the Assistant PIO or any other officer designated to accept the RTI applications.

Where can I locate the concerned PIO?

A list of PIOs/APIOs and Appellate Authorities for all Central and State departments/Ministries is available online at www.rti.gov.in

What if I can not locate my PIO or APIO?

In case you have problems locating your PIO/APIO you can address your RTI application to the PIO C/o Head of Department and send it to the concerned public authority with the requisite application fee. The Head of Department will have to forward your application to the concerned PIO.

Do I have to personally go to deposit my application?

Depending on your state rules for mode of payment you can deposit your application for information from the concerned departments of your state government via post by attaching a DD, Money Order, Postal Order or affixing Court fee Stamp. For all Central government departments the Department of Posts has designated 629 postal offices at the national level. The designated officers in these post offices work as Assistant PIOs and collect the application to forward to the concerned PIO. A list is available at http://www.indiapost.gov.in/rticontents.html

Is there a time limit to receiving information?

Yes. If you file your application with the PIO, you must receive information within 30 days.
In case you have filed your application with Assistant PIO then information has to be made available within 35 days.
In case the matter to which the information pertains affects the life and liberty of an individual, information has to be made available in 48 hours.

Do I have to give reasons why I want particular information?

Absolutely not! You are not required to give any reasons or additional information other than your contact details (i.e., Name, Address, and Phone No.). Sec 6(2) clearly says that no information other than contact details of the applicant shall be asked.

Can the PIO refuse to accept my RTI application?

No. The PIO can not refuse to accept your application for information under any circumstances. Even if the information does not pertain to his/her department/jurisdiction, s/he has to accept it. If the application does not pertain to that PIO, he would have to transfer it to the right PIO within 5 days under sec 6(2).

What can I do if I do not receive information?

If you do not receive information or are dissatisfied with the information received, you can file an appeal with the first appellate authority under section 19 (1) of the right to Information Act.

Who is a First Appellate authority?

Every public authority must designate a First Appellate Authority. This officer designated is the officer senior in rank to your PIO.

Is there a form for the first appeal?

No there is no form for filing a first appeal (but some state governments have prescribed a form). Draft your appeal application on a blank sheet of paper addressed to the First Appellate Authority. Remember to attach a copy of your original application and a copy of the reply in whatever form (if received) from the PIO.

Do I have to pay a fee for the first appeal?

No. You are not required to pay any fee for the first appeal. However, some state governments have prescribed a fee.

In how many days can I file my first appeal?

You can file your first appeal within 30 days of receipt of information or within 60 days of filing RTI application (if no information received).

What if I do not receive the information after the first appeal process?

If you do not receive information even after the first appeal then you can take the matter forward to the second appeal stage.

What is a second appeal?

A second appeal is the last option under the RTI Act to get the information requested. You can file second appeal with the Information Commission. For appeals against Central Government Departments, you have Central Information Commission (CIC). For every state Government, there is a State Information Commission.

Is there a form for the second appeal?

No there is no form for filing a second appeal (but some state governments have prescribed a form for second appeal too). Draft your appeal application on a normal sheet of paper addressed to the Central or State Information Commission. Carefully read the appeal rules before drafting your second appeal. Your second appeal application can be rejected if it does not comply with the appeal rules.

Do I have to pay a fee for the second appeal?

No. You are not required to pay any fee for the second appeal. However, some states have prescribed a fee for that.

In how many days can I file my second appeal?

You can file your second appeal within 90 days of disposal of first appeal or within 90 days of the date, by when first appeal was to be decided.

How does this law help me in getting my work done?

Let us take the case of Nannu. He was not being given his ration card. But when he applied under RTI, he was given a card within a week.
What did Nannu ask? He asked the following questions:

• I filed an application for a duplicate ration card on 27th January 2004. Please tell me the daily progress made on my application so far. I.e. when did my application reach which officer?
• For how long did it stay with that officer?
• What did he/she do during that period?
• According to the rules, my card should have been made in 10 days. However, it is more than three months now. Please give the names and designations of the officials who were supposed to take action on my application and who have not done so.
• What action would be taken against these officials for not doing their work and for causing harassment to the public?
• By when would that action be taken?
• By when would I get my card now?

In normal circumstances, such an application would be thrown in a dustbin. But this law says that the Government has to reply in 30 days. If they don’t do that, their salary could be deducted. Now, it is not easy to answer these questions.

The first question is – please provide the daily progress made on my application.
There is no progress made. But the government officials cannot write in these many words that they have not acted for so many months. Else that would be admission of guilt on paper.

The next question is – please provide the names and designations of the officers who were supposed to take action on my application and who had not done so.
If the government provides names and designations of the officials, their responsibility gets fixed. Any officer is most scared of fixing of responsibility against him in this manner. So, the moment one files such an application, his/her pending work is done.

Have people been victimized who used RTI and exposed corruption?

Yes, there have been some instances where people were physically harmed when they sought information which exposed large scale corruption. But this does not mean that ever applicant faces such a threat. Filing application to seek status of your grievance or for knowing other similar routine matters does not invite any retaliation. It is only when information is likely to expose bureaucratic-contractor nexus or any kind of mafia that there could be a possibility of retaliation.

Then why should I use RTI?

The entire system has become so rotten that if all of us individually and together do not do our bit, it will never improve. If we don’t do it, who will? Therefore, we have to act. But we should do that with a strategy and minimize risks. And with experience, there are some safeguards and strategies available.

What are these strategies?

Please go ahead and file RTI application for any issue in the first instance. Normally, anyone would not attack you immediately. They would first try to cajole you or win you over. So, the moment you file any inconvenient application, someone would approach you very politely to request you to withdraw that application. You should gauge the seriousness or the potential of the person approaching you. If you consider it to be serious enough, ask 15 of your friends to immediately apply to the same public authority asking for same information. It would be better if these 15 friends were from different part of India. Now, it would be most difficult for anyone to target all of your 15 friends all across the country. And if they threaten anyone from amongst the 15, let more people file similar applications. Your friends from other parts of India can file their applications by post. Try and give it wide media publicity. This will ensure that you will get the requisite information, and you would have sufficiently minimized risks.

Won’t Government get flooded with RTI applications and won’t it jam government machinery?

These fears are hypothetical. There are more than 65 countries in the world, which have RTI laws. There are nine states in India, who had RTI laws, before this law was passed by the Parliament. None of these Governments were flooded with applications. Such fear emanates from an assumption that the people do not have anything to do and are totally free. Filing an RTI application and pursuing it takes time, energies and resources. Unless a person really wants any information, he/she does not file it.
Let us consider some statistics. In Delhi, 14000 applications have been filed in 120 departments in more than 60 months. This means less than 2 applications per Department per month. Can we say that Delhi Government got flooded with RTI applications? In sharp contrast, US Government received 3.2 million applications under their RTI Act during 2003-04. This is despite the fact that unlike India, most of the Government information is already available on the net and there should be much less need for the people to file applications. But US Government is not contemplating scrapping the RTI Ac. On the contrary they are setting aside more and more resources to implement it. During the same year, they spent $ 32 million to implement it.

Won’t it require huge amount of resources to implement RTI Act?

Any amount of resources required to implement RTI Act would be well spent. Most countries like the US have realized it and are already spending huge resources to make their governments transparent. Firstly, all the cost spent on RTI gets more than recovered the same year by the amounts of money that the Government saves due to reduction in corruption and malpractices. For instance, there is strong evidence to show how leakages in drought relief program in Rajasthan and Public Distribution System in Delhi substantially reduced due to extensive use of RTI.
Secondly, RTI is very essential for democracy. It is a part of our fundamental right. For people to participate in governance, the pre-requisite is that they first know what is going on. So, just the way we treat all expenses made on the running of our Parliament as essential, we have to treat all expenses made in the implementation of RTI as essential.

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Facilities for the disabled

The Disability Act provides a number of facilities for children as well as adults. A list of some of these facilities is included in this page.

Under the Disabilities Act, 1995

• Every child with disability shall have the right to free education till the age of 18 years in integrated schools or special schools.
• Appropriate transportation, removal of architectural barriers and restructuring of curriculum and modifications in the examination system shall be ensured for the benefit of children with disabilities.
• Children with disabilities shall have the right to free books, scholarships, uniforms and other teaching material.
• Special schools for children with disabilities shall be equipped with vocational training facilities.
• Non-formal education shall be promoted for children with disabilities.
• Teachers training institutions shall be established to develop requisite manpower.
• Parents may move to appropriate Court for a redressal of grievances regarding placement of their children with disabilities.

To access these facilities, parents must first obtain a disability certificate from the nearest government hospital, and an Identity Card from the Office of the Commissioner for Disabilities. In the case of a rural area, the Identity Card is given by the Block Development Officer's (BDO's) office. To know which government hospital caters to which area; detailed information can be had from the Office of the Commissioner for Disabilities. Every panchayat is provided funds to build paved roads, school and public ramps for the disabled by the government. There is also a 3 percent reservation for the disabled in employment for all government jobs. The Act also provides for affirmative action for the disabled. This means that:

• Aids and appliances shall be made available to people with disabilities.
• Allotment of land shall be made at concessional rates to people with disabilities for houses, business, special recreation centers, special schools, research schools, factories with entrepreneurs who are disabled.

To access information on what facilities are on offer, one needs to visit the Office of the Commissioner for Disabilities. In the event of a school refusing admission to a disabled child or the absence of ramps making attendance difficult for a disabled student, parents or relatives can take up the matter with the Disabilities Commissioner for redressal.

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Richa's Farewell

On June 11th, 2009 we bid adieu to Richa. She was the most enthusiastic and cherished girl on the awareness team.
Richa was well-known for her absolutely invariable habit of forgetting something each time she left the office. We would just sit and wait for her to return, sometimes as many as three times, before finally departing for good. She is also the reason why all the puppies of Vasant Vihar are constantly outside our gate!
 
In the short span of 5 months she had made herself indispensable due to her amiable nature, her zeal to learn and her dedication towards her work.
She left for Canada for further studies and has promised to return once she completes her course. We will miss you Richa!

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Right to Information Act
Frequently asked Questions

The Right to Information is a groundbreaking Act which was passed by the Government of India on October 12, 2005. This article is an attempt to answer some of the frequently asked question about the Act. We will follow this up with an article on How to Use RTI in the coming days.

What is RTI?

RTI stands for Right to Information, which is one of our fundamental rights under Article 19(1) of the Constitution.
Article 19 (1) states that every citizen of India has the freedom of speech and expression.
In 1976 the Supreme Court said in a case (Raj Narain vs State of UP), that people cannot speak or express themselves unless they know. The court further said that India is a democracy where people are the masters. The masters have a right to know how the government, which is meant to serve them, is functioning. Further, every citizen pays taxes and therefore, they have a right to know how their money was being spent.
These three principles were laid down by the Supreme Court while saying that RTI is a part of our fundamental rights.

If RTI is a fundamental right, then why do we need an Act to give us this right?

This is because if you went to any Government Department and told the officer there, “RTI is my fundamental right, and that I am the master of this country, please show me all your files”, he would not do that. In all probability, he would throw you out of his room!
Therefore, we need a process through which we can exercise this fundamental right. Right to Information Act 2005, which became effective on 12th October 2005, provides that machinery.
Right to Information Act does not give us any new right. It simply lays down the process on how to apply for information, where to apply, how much fees etc.

When did RTI Act come into force?

The Central Right to Information Act came into force on the 12th October, 2005.
However, before that 9 state Governments had passed state Acts. These were J&K, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam & Goa.

What rights are available under RTI Act 2005?

Right to Information Act 2005 empowers every citizen to

• Ask any questions from the Government or seek any information
• Take copies of any government documents
• Inspect any government documents.
• Inspect any Government works
• Take samples of materials of any Government work.

Who is covered under RTI?

The Central RTI Act extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. All bodies, which are constituted under the Constitution or under any law or under any Government notification or all bodies, including NGOs, which are owned, controlled or substantially financed by the Government are covered.

What is “substantially financed”?

This is neither defined under RTI Act nor under any other Act. So, this issue will evolve with time, maybe through some court orders etc.

Are Private bodies covered under the RTI Act?

All private bodies, which are owned, controlled or substantially financed by the Government, are directly covered. Others are indirectly covered. That is, if a government department can access information from any private body under any other Act, the same can be accessed by the citizen under the RTI Act through that government department.

Isn’t Official Secrets Act 1923 an obstacle to the implementation of RTI Act?

No. Section 22 of the RTI Act 2005 clearly says that RTI Act would over ride all existing Acts including Officials Secrets Act.

Can the PIO refuse to give me information?

A PIO can refuse information on 11 subjects that are listed in section 8 of the RTI Act.
These include information received in confidence from foreign governments, information prejudicial to security, strategic, scientific or economic interests of the country, breach of privilege of legislatures, etc. There is a list of 18 agencies given in second schedule of the Act to which RTI Act does not apply. However, they also have to give information if it relates to matters pertaining to allegations of corruption or human rights violations.

Does the Act provide for partial disclosure?

Yes. Under Section 10 of the RTI Act, access may be provided to that part of the record which does not contain information which is exempt from disclosure under this Act.

Can access be denied to file notings?

No. File notings are an integral part of the government file and are subject to disclosure under the Act. This has been clarified by the Central Information Commission in one of its orders on 31st Jan 2006.

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Providing Banking Facilities to Visually Impaired Persons

On June 4, 2008 the RBI advised banks that all banks must render the same services to a visually impaired person as it would do to any other person without discrimination. The Circular stated that the banks must provide the visually impaired with every facility viz. cheque book facility, ATM facility, net banking facility, locker facility, retails facility, credit cards, etc.

Procedural Guidelines for Banking Facilities to Visually Impaired Persons

General Instructions

• Banking facilities for visually impaired persons should be offered at all branches of the bank
• Banks should not equate visually impaired customers with illiterate customers
• All banks must provide the same facilities to a visually impaired customer / prospective customer as it would to any other customer. But at the same time the customers should be made aware of the risk involved in some of these facilities which may be higher than that for a normal customer. Additional facilities like reading and filling up of forms, slips, cheques should be provided to a visually impaired customer, if required.
• Banks should not deny any services to visually impaired customers including visually impaired customers who use their thumb impression for operating the bank account.
• A visually impaired customer must not be forced to operate the bank account jointly with any person or in the presence of any person
• Visually impaired customers may be allowed to appoint a person / persons as their Power of Attorney or Mandate Holder to operate their bank account if the visually impaired customer so desires.

Opening of Bank Accounts

• All banking products offered by the bank should be made available to visually impaired persons.
• The bank must follow the same procedure for opening the account of a visually impaired person as it does for its customers.
• He / She must be allowed to open the account either singly or jointly with others.
• The bank must allow the visually impaired customer to open a joint account with anybody that he / he chooses including person(s) who is/ are visually impaired
• The Officer / Manager of the branch should read out the rules of business and other terms and conditions in the presence of a witness, if required by the customer
• The bank branch manager must inform a visually impaired customer / prospective customer of his rights and liabilities before opening the account.
• The documentation requirements of a visually impaired customer must be the same as any other customer.
• The account has to be clearly marked as “the account holder is visually impaired”.

Withdrawal of cash / cheque book facility

• Facilities for withdrawal of cash as we are provided to all customers regarding cash payments must be provided to visually impaired customers.
• In Case a visually impaired customer makes cash withdrawals at the bank then the payment must be made in the presence of another bank employee / officer. No outside witnesses are required unless the visually impaired customer requests that such witnesses be present.
• Operations should not be restricted to self-withdrawals.
• Cheque book facility should not be denied to visually impaired person
• All procedures pertaining to the use of such cheque books by visually impaired customers must be in accordance with that of the other customers.
• Cheques issued by visually impaired persons to third parties should be honoured, if otherwise in order.

Credit Cards / Debit Cards

• Visually impaired customers must be issues credit cards / debit cards on request.
• All rules and regulations regarding credit / debit card must be available on the website of the respective bank in accessible format. These should be read out to visually impaired persons and perceived risk factors explained to them.
• Banks may consider issuing Credit / Debit Card with Photograph. This photograph will work as an identification / verification.

ATM / Debit Cards

• Visually impaired customers must be permitted to avail of ATM facilities.
• Banks should also ensure that the ATMs are accessible to other categories of persons with disabilities such as orthopedically disabled.

On Line Banking / Mobile banking and Tele banking / Phone Banking

• All banks must have accessible websites and conform to international accessibility standards.
• All customer facing applications such as web applications, desktop applications and mobile applications should be accessible to visually impaired persons.
• The banks should have alternate methods of user authentication / password verification.
• All features especially those related to customer security must be accessible to visually impaired persons.

Lockers

• Visually impaired customers should be provided with locker facility on request
• Suitable lockers conveniently located for operations may be allotted.
• Bank procedures for issuing a locker to a visually impaired customer must be the same to any other customer
• A visually impaired customer may be given the following options for operation of locker:

1. Operation – Singly
2. Operation – Singly with the assistance of a reliable person, as per the choice of the Applicant
3. Operation – Jointly

• A visually impaired customer may request the person in-charge of the locker to be present when the locker is opened or to check if nothing has been left behind or fallen after the locker is closed.

Loans

• Loans must be made available to visually impaired customers as are offered to other customers and their impairment of vision should not be a criterion for sanctioning / denying a loan.
• No additional burden of interest payment, collateral and other terms should be imposed on the visually impaired customer.

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What The Law Says About Accessibility?

The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 is quite clear on the responsibilities of the government to enhance access for persons with disabilities. The relevant portions of the Act are reproduced below.

Chapter Eight: Non-discrimination

44. Establishments in the transport sector shall, within the limits of their economic capacity and development for the benefit of persons with disabilities, take special measures to-

1. adapt rail compartments, buses, vessels and aircrafts in such a way as to permit easy access to such persons;
2. adapt toilets in rail compartments, vessels, aircrafts and waiting rooms in such a way as to permit the wheelchair users to use them conveniently.

45. The appropriate Governments and the local authorities shall, within the limits of their economic capacity and development, provide for-

1. installation of auditory signals at red lights in the public roads for the benefit of persons with visually handicap;
2. causing curb cuts and slopes to be made in pavements for the easy access of wheelchair users;
3. engraving on the surface of the zebra crossing for the blind or for persons with low vision;
4. engraving on the edges of railway platforms for the blind or for persons with low vision;
5. devising appropriate symbols of disability;
6. warning signals at appropriate places.

46. The appropriate Governments and the local authorities shall, within the limits of their economic capacity and development, provide for-

1. ramps in public buildings;
2. Braille symbols and auditory signals in elevators or lifts;
3. Braille symbols and auditory signals in elevators or lifts;
4. ramps in hospitals, primary health centres and other medical care and rehabilitation institutions.

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Car Rally Gives Visually Impaired A Chance To Drive

New Delhi: 15–year–old Manoj can't see. He doesn't know what Mathura Road or Sundar Nagar look like in the Capital. But while navigating a big car during the weekend, he knew exactly where both roads were and where they led to.
 
"I really enjoyed myself. I was given a paper in Braille that told me where all to go," Manoj said.

Speaking about the innovative car rally, actor Rahul Bose said, “Blind people are the navigators of this rally like one in a real rally but they are doing it with the help of Braille."

This Standard Chartered Blind Rally is a concept introduced for the visually impaired as an addition to the 'Seeing is believing' campaign, an initiative that has restored the eyesight of millions. This rally was yet another addition to their relentless campaign.

The initiative aims at being able to help 20 million get eyesight by 2010.
 
The rally made the impossible dream of driving a car come true for the visually impaired, at least partially.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com

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No Teacher For Over 10,000 Disabled Kids

New Delhi: In the National Capital, over 10,000 disabled students in government and MCD schools do not have a single teacher special enough to understand their world. None of the 650 Delhi government schools or 1,800 MCD schools employ a teacher specially trained to teach disabled students, though a government status report filed before the Delhi High Court on Wednesday identified 10,065 "children with special needs" studying in schools run by the Directorate of Education, the MCD and the NDMC. This despite a government report stating that the posts of 'special educators' were advertised almost six months back on December 26, 2008.

"Not a single educator, not a single facility is in place for disabled students, leave alone any infrastructure in these schools. We have to start from scratch," a Division Bench led by Chief Justice A P Shah observed after reading the government report in open court on Wednesday. Interestingly, the government agrees with the court while quoting that an "ideal situation would be having a special teacher in every school that disabled children are enrolled in".

The government admits that of the 10,065 disabled students, 7,523 need 1,505 special educators at a ration of 1:5. Again, the MCD alone has 2,087 disabled children in its schools.

A training program for orienting 51,000 teachers in "inclusive education and various issues related to children with disabilities" in May and June 2009 remains a non–starter. The reason, the government says, was that teachers were deployed for the Lok Sabha elections.

Source: http://www.indianexpress.com

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Home Secretary Directs Officials To Fill Up Vacancies For Disabled People In UT Departments

Chandigarh: A meeting with various departments to fill up vacancies for disabled candidates was held under the chairmanship of UT Home Secretary Ram Niwas on Wednesday. It was learnt that there are nearly 228 vacancies in various categories.

The Home Secretary directed officials to clear the backlog on top priority basis. According to the departments, they have already advertised for 68 posts for disabled people. Niwas directed the departments to submit an affidavit by June 15 regarding the pending posts in various departments and of the action taken by them to fill up the vacancies. It was directed that under no circumstance, vacancies meant for disabled candidates should be filled up from the General category and any violation in this regard would be viewed seriously.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Railways To Resume Recruitment Under Disabled Category

New Delhi (PTI) Thousands of disabled persons can now look forward for an employment opportunity with the country's largest government employer ––Railways–– after it submitted an affidavit in the Delhi High court in this regard.

The Railways have submitted a "tentative time frame for finalizing special recruitment drive" to fill up backlog vacancies of physically disabled persons" in group C and D posts along with the top most group A.

The special recruitment drive, to be completed in 19 months, would initially fill up 4,254 backlog vacancies for disabled persons as per requirements of the "Persons with Disabilities Act 1995."

The Railways, in its affidavit filed on May 26, has also said that it will fill up the backlog vacancies in the non–technical posts of Indian Railway Personnel Service and Indian Railway Accounts Service with 50 per cent seats being filled up this year and the rest in the next year.

The case date backs to 2005 when a social organization, All India Confederation of the Blind, filed a PIL in Delhi High Court requesting it to direct the Railways to comply with the disabilities Act and recruit physically challenged persons according to stipulated norms of keeping three per cent seats for them.

Source: http://www.hindu.com