[India_Vision_2020] Re: Update on fight against corruption at Taluk Office, Ambattur ~ India Vision 2020

hi all

Pl refer to my earlier mails (appended below). I give below the updates of today (30th August).

Unruly behaviour of Taluk office officials to scare the complainants

In the morning, few of the Taluk office officials entered the Siragu School, run by Suyam Charities and started demanding the 'attendance' register to scare the teachers and the children, probably because, Suyam has exposed their corrupt practices. The teachers argued with them that the the parents of these children had applied for community certificate only and the officials have to only go to thee place of stay of parents and verify the credentials. They said, they cannot give the attendance register, as it had nothing to do with the community certificate.

When they were arguing one of the Tamil TV Channel 'Puthiya Thalaimurai' crew entered the school premises to take the interview. On seeing the TV crew, the entire Taluk office officials slipped from the scene.

Meeting with the District Collector

At 4 PM, Uma of Suyam who spearheaded the Dharna last evening met the District Collector Mr Asish Chatterjee. Before she went there, the Collector had meeting with the officials. Uma had already submitted various documents for getting community certificate on behalf of these children for the past 5 years and the officials did not give any response. Every time, Uma was following up, they used to tell her that the documents were not available and were missing. Again Uma used to submit those papers for their verification. Now also, the officials wanted the some documents again.

The Collector had requested Uma to submit again the documents and assured that all the community certificates would be issued within a fortnight. He has requested Uma to meet him again on 15th Sep 2011 to review the situation.

Probably, because Uma did not go through the brokers or pay bribe, the Taluk Office officials have been losing the documents

My phone call to District Collector

I contacted the District Collector over mobile in the evening. He promised me that he would ensure that the community certificates would be issued within 15 days. When I was drawing the attention of the Collector about the reported 'bogus community certificates' being allegedly issued by the brokers and officials, he wanted a complaint be given in writing.

I got wild and told him as to why, a complaint is to be given, when we are drawing the attention of the District Collector, based on the information we have been receiving. I told him that the Collector had enormous powers with investigative and police machinery. I told him that it was his failure not to have kept vigil on such illegal practices happening under his nose. I also told him that I would arrange a question to be raised in the current Assembly Session, in the presence of Chief Minister, so that the Government could take up the investigation for prosecuting the culprits. Immediately, the Collector said that he would start the investigations immediately.

I also drew the attention of unruly behaviour of the Taluk office officials at Siragu School, to scare the complainants. The District Collector promised to look into this matter.

Phone call to Thasildar

I also subsequently spoke to Mr Mahatma, Thasildar and informed him about the behaviour of his officials. He said he was not aware of the bribe being taken by his officials and brokers for issue of community certificates. I told him that the brokers were openly bargaining in front of his office and expressed my surprise as to how he was not aware of such happenings in his office.

It is highly suprising that the District Collector Mr Asish Chatterjee and the Thasildar Mr Mahatma are not aware of the corrupt practices happening in their jurisdiction, when the whole world knows.

Planning to escalate further

We have also talked to some of the senior officials at the Government. Media is also giving support. Now getting the community certificates to Siragu Students is not a problem. But thousands of 'faceless' poor people are being harassed daily by these 'inhuman' officials at Taluk Office every where. We have now spoken to some of the political leaders also. They also promised to take up this issue to CM's level immediately. Through this exercise, we are confident that something good will emerge.

We are of the strong view such officials, who extract money from even the poor and downtrodden people should be prosecuted and imprisoned.

We are happy Anna's impact is working magic. We are happy that the coordinators of India Against Corruption movement is also with us and supporting us in this task.

Instead of sitting idle and blaming the system, Uma and Muthuram of Suyam have showed the way by bringing such atrocities to the public through dharna and media. India Vision and Action 2020 congratulates them for their initiative.

We will update further.

Srinivasan

Moderator

India Vision and Action 2020 Team

9176650273

Our earlier mails for reference:

On Tue, Aug 30, 2011 at 8:32 AM, Prime Point Srinivasan <prpoint@gmail.com> wrote:

hi all

This has ref. to my earlier mail. NDTV-Hindu had telecast a news item about the incident last night. Please watch the news item of NDTV-Hindu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTP_UdIlzJc

We are also taking up the matter with high level officials. To prevent such corruptions and harassment to poor people, we need to introduce e-Governance, so that the applicants get the receipt and the status transparently.

Srinivasan
91766 50273

On Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 10:44 PM, Prime Point Srinivasan <prpoint@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all

Anna Hazare has given more courage and strength to fight against the corruption. Here is an incident of one of our group members fighting boldly against the corruption of Taluk officials at Ambattur, Chennai.

Suyam Charities is one of the partner groups of Action 2020 team under India Vision group. For more than a decade, they have been picking up street children (begging children) and provide them good education. They are taking care of more than 175 such children. Of these nearly 125 children belong to Scheduled caste category. Some of these children are writing 10th and 12th under NIOS. When we met Dr Abdul Kalam, he was highly impressed with their services.

Suyam is run by Uma and her husband Muthuraman. They have also won several International awards for their selfless service to street children. Uma and Muthuraman have been trying to get community certificate from Tahsildar's office, Ambattur for the past five years. Every time, when they go there, the officials would not give proper response.

It is reported that outside the Tahsildar's office, brokers used to collect Rs.2000/- for original SC certificate and Rs.1000/- for bogus SC certificate. Poor and innocent would people would be cheated by the bogus certificates.

Today (29th August 2011), Uma went to Tahsildar's office for getting SC certificate to some students, who had to write NIOS examination. As usual, the officials did not bother about her. As a matter of policy Uma and Muthuram never bribe any Government officials. On many occassions, this has caused lot of problems. Still, braving all the difficulties, they practise 'no bribe' policy and they also teach their students not to give bribe.

Since Uma did not get proper response, she immediately arranged a dharna in front of Tahsildar office with more than one hundred children and their parents sitting on Satyagraha. They also informed few of the media. When the TV cameras arrived, Tahsildar was taken aback and he immediately issued two certificates Uma also reported the matter to the District Collector of Thiruvallur Mr Asish Chatterjee. . Originally, District Collector also did not give proper response. Only after getting the information that the media people have arrived, he started giving proper response.

Interestingly the name of the Tahsildar is 'Mahatma'.!

When I got the information from Suyam, I contacted the District Collector Mr Asish Chatterjee over his mobile. Though, he was little tough with me at the beginning, after my telling him that the matter would be taken up to Chief Minister level, he was polite. Subsequently, he also called me to inform that he would be willing to meet Uma with full details on Tuesday evening at 4 PM. He also spoke to Uma requesting her to meet on Tuesday evening.

From the various sources, we understand that though, lot of corruption takes place at Ambattur Taluk Office, none of the Collectors were able to take action. It is also reported that these Tahsildars and Revenue officials threaten the District Collectors and District Collectors are unable to do anything. Though the Collectors have the knowledge of the corruption, they become silent observers.

Just now, I spoke to one of the senior Tamil journalists. He said, he would take up with the Revenue Minister on Tuesday morning and run a detailed story exposing the corruption.

When Anna Hazare ji was demanding that the corrupt people are to be hanged, I was reluctant to accept his views. After listening to this incident where poor street children that too dalit children are being tortured by these Government officials for non payment of bribe, I started feeling that Anna ji's statement is highly relevant.

I am also endorsing the copy of this mail to the District Collector and also to the leaders of India Against Corruption. It is not sufficient that we talk in all forums about the welfare of SC and ST. The revenue department officials who demand bribe should be prosecuted and put behind the bar. We demand such officials are to be arrested immediately.

On one side, Suyam is trying hard to bring these children from streets (read begging) and provide them free education. On the other side, Tashsildar office mercilessly want to extract money to provide community certificate, even from these street children. .

Now Anna's movement has given us more courage and strength. We also appreciate Uma for her bold initiative of staging a dharna in front of Taluk office with affected children and calling the media to expose these corrupt officials.

We will update our members about the development on Tuesday evening. Let us all get united to fight against the corruption.

Suyam can be reached at suyam.awake07@gmail.com

Srinivasan
Moderator
India Vision and Action 2020
9176650273