Call to protect information providers

Khotang / February 24: Participants at a programme organized here on Tuesday have voiced their concern for the concerned authorities’ apathy to protect information providers.

The participants said this at an interaction organized by the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) on the ‘Role of Public Agency for the Protection, Promotion and Application of the Right to Information’.

They expressed their concerns for the safety of informers and whistleblowers disclosing secret information about crime, black marketing and financial irregularities in society.

UML district secretary Dev Bikram Rai complained that the government agency itself was creating trouble while providing secret information on black marketing cases happening in local markets. “I bore the brunt of sharing information on such anti-social incidents. The government agency publicly disclosed that so and so persons provided the information putting life of informers at risk”, he added. Such instances have discouraged people to share such information to the public agencies for actions.

District Joint Secretary of Unified CPN (Maoist) Suresh Rai said that it was wrong on part of some government agencies to abstain from their responsibility for providing information on request. “Referring website for information when demanded is irresponsible act”.

Journalist Dilip Khatry said that the information about the irregularities of the District Development Committee has not been received for months.

The Prime Minister’s Office said that the interaction was focused on sharing RTI provisions, status of information exchange, problems on disclosure of information and resolve measures and role of political parties, government offices and journalists in improving practices on demand and supply of public information.

Secretary at Prime Minister’s Office Mahesh Prasad Dahal said the effective implementation of the right to information would only help maintain good governance and transparency.

He directed the district-based government agencies to manage citizen charters at every public office within a week. RSS