Synopsis of the book:
The Mighty Fall reflects the ongoing silent social revolution of citizen
empowerment and participatory governance sweeping across India, thanks to the
Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005.
Mirrored in this book are two sterling examples of how RTI proved to be mightier
than the mighty in power.
The outgoing President of India, Pratibha Patil, was caught in a whirlpool of
controversy over her post-retirement home in Pune. Information procured under
RTI revealed several irregularities, sparking nationwide media uproar. Despite
stiff initial resistance, the President had to finally give up the land.
Dow Chemicals, the giant multinational company, was allotted a whopping
100 acres of land in village Shinde Vasuli, Pune, ostensibly to set up a ‘research
centre’ at a throw-away price. RTI exposed that the company had been
given permission for ‘manufacture’ (and not ‘research’) without stringent
environmental clearance certificates as required. Unable to withstand the
escalating heat, Dow abandoned the plan and quit.
In both cases, the author’s journalistic writing forced the desired result as she
employed the RTI tool with great elan. This book provides an insight into the
chronology of those events.
Besides providing an overview of the RTI Act for common knowledge,
the book also highlights select cases where citizens have used RTI to
get their personal problems solved.
Read on, get empowered!
