“Report corruption to reduce corruption”, is the credo which has spurred a young Punekar, Aditya Palnitkar, to launch a website, www.corruptionfree.in , where citizens can report and read about corruption.
“The first step to eradicate corruption is to report it and to increase awareness. This web portal is an open forum that provides a simple mechanism for students and citizens to report instances of corruption using their computer or mobile phone. This site is a tribute to Anna Hazare and countless other crusaders who are fighting to rid our country of corruption. Media as well as anti-corruption authorities can use this web portal to track and reduce corruption,” Palnitkar says.
The site is currently broken up into sections for six cities (Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, New Delhi and Chennai and one for the rest of the country.
Anna Hazare’s movement has obviously spurred people into believing that they should no longer stay silent against the scourge of corruption. They’re complaining on Palnitkar’s site on a variety of issues.
Take this complaint on the website:
“Hi,
File Reference No: PNE-Z001018-11 of Name: MUNIRA MANDAL submitted in Pune on 19-05-2011.
After my followup dt 14-10-2011, Officer confirmed that my passport is released for despatch on 13-10-2011.
Now I find message on NET : “Passport has been granted and is expected to be despatched by 28-10-2011. Subject to all documents being in order.”
My complaints are as under (Refer to attched screenshot of status as reflect on 2 seperate date):
1. Why again date of despatch is changed to 28-10-2011 as against 13-10-2011 which was confirmed by officer.
2. Why again “Subject to all documents being in order” word is used, is this LOOPHOLE deliberately left open to HARASS me?
3. How can such stupid excuse “Subject to all documents being in order” be given now? Does it mean all these months my passport was ready for delivery without verifying my documents were in order or not? Suddenly you got up from your sleep and finding some loophole to delay further simply because I escalated this issue to MEA, Delhi.
4. Even after police verification completed vide Outward Ref No. 54643 dt 25-07-2011, Passport is not despatched till date”
If Munira Mandal thought her passport was a vexatious issue, another complainant is upset over being overcharged by autosickshaw drivers. “Pune- Auto No MH 12 FA 5008 demanded Rs 10 more than meter for going to Paud Rd from Appa Balwant Chowk at 5 pm,” the reader complained by SMS.
A Bengaluru citizen complains about an even smaller issue – being overcharged by 50 paise. “I stay in HSR Layout, Bangalore and the shopkeepers in this area charge 50 paise to 1 Rs. extra per packet of milk and curd. No matter what is the size of the packet whether it is 250 gm, 500 ml or 1 litre. They say that it ‘is cooling charge.”
Palnitkar has made it easy for you to gripe and register a complaint of corruption. All you have to do is mail your corruption report to email@corruptionfree.in or SMS your corruption report to 8446324670.
This is the strengthening of Anna Hazare’s movement against corruption. Yesterday, Venky Vembu, one of Firstpost’s editors, had written, in the context of the media furore over Kiran Bedi’s overinvoicing issue, “But what these slur campaigns perhaps miss out is that for all the momentary setback in the mood of the Anna-led campaign, the baton of the anti-corruption movement has, in a larger sense, been passed on from its leaders to its foot-soldiers. And at the grassroots level, the seed of empowerment that Anna Hazare planted with his two hunger strikes against corruption has taken root – and is giving transformative power to ordinary people in everyday situations.”
Anna Hazare has passed on the transformative power to an ordinary youngster in Aditya Palnitkar, who has launched a website to empower more ordinary citizens.
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