'Stern action against making RTI into biz'

Stern action will be initiated against those who have made RTI activism as a money-making business, warned Karnataka Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanath Shetty.  

He was redressing grievances from public at theTown Hall in Mangaluru on Friday.

Stating that while some RTI activists are procuring documents with true concern, a group of people had been availing documents pertaining to the buildings that violate rules for blackmail.  RTI activists who use documents to blackmail builders for money had turned RTI into a business.  

Directions have been given to the Lokayukta Police to identify such people, Justice P Vishwanath Shetty said adding, stringent action will be initiated against those who give false complaints.

Citizens from across the district submitted their complaints to the Lokayukta.

Sadashiva Anchan from Bantwal said that the Village Accountants and Revenue officials have been demanding money to provide record of rights. The Lokayukta ordered the concerned officials to provide the record of rights within Monday.

He observed that many cases of 'agents' taking money from the aggrieved to get work to be done in government offices, had been identified. While transparency must be maintained by officers, people should discourage touts who demand bribes, he added.    

Another citizen Robert Franklin Rego requested marking of zebra crossings on the Mangaluru Airport Road in Bajpe. The vehicles bound to airport and to the city, move in breakneck speeds, posing danger to the public and school children. Also, a new traffic police station should be commissioned in the area.

Police Commissioner T R Suresh said that a new traffic police station will be opened soon.  Responding to the complaint by Ashok Bhat saying the Transport Adalat is not being held once in three months, Lokayukta told the Deputy Commissioner (Transport) G S Hegade to conduct the transport adalat in the next 15 days. The public works cannot be postponed quoting staff shortage, the Lokayukta said.

The Lokayukta said that another Lokayukta Adalat will be held on December 4. The applications pending for investigation on November 17 will be taken up on December 4, 2.30 pm onwards. The public may submit new complaints before December 4.

A total 110 applications were submitted by people to the Lokayukta towards the grievance redressal meet held on Friday. Out of these, 32 applications were taken for investigation by Lokayukta, apart from disposing-off 16 old cases.

Harikrishna Bantwal submits complaint against Rai:

Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty said that the complaint regarding obtaining of government land  and in the name of his wife Mani and Kallige village of Bantwal, by district in-charge minister B Ramanath Rai will be investigated.

BJP leader Harikrishna Bantwal submitting the complaint before Lokayukta said that Rai has obtained government land in the name of his wife in Mani.

The minister has misused his powers to get the lands sanctioned illegally. The case should be investigated, he said. Also, Harikrishna alleged the minister of doing land misappropriation in his rubber farm, even though Kallige village is declared as the Podi free village. There is no details of the rubber farm in the order.

Lokayukta said that the scrutiny section of Lokayukta will look into the report and submit a report to him. The complaint will be accepted if it is found that the complaint is true.