Anna threatens indefinite fast near Pune over Lokayukta Bill

Crusader Demands Stronger Bill In Winter Session Of Legislature

Pune: Social crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike at the temple town of Alandi, about 20 km from Pune, if the state government does not pass a bill providing for a strong Lokayukta on the lines of the Lokpal, by the end of the winter session of the state legislature.
    Hazare sent a letter to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday saying that a statewide jail bharo agitation would be launched on the seventh day of his planned indefinite fast at Alandi. Copies of the letter have been sent to all ministers and the state chief secretary.
    When contacted, a top bureaucrat from the CM’s office told TOI, “Chavan has seen reports in the electronic media but has not seen the letter. His office too has not received any communication from Hazare. Under such circumstances, it will not be appropriate for Chavan to comment on an unseen and unread letter.”
In his letter, Hazare stated, “I had sent you a letter on July 18 demanding a strong Lokayukta on the lines of the Lokpal but received no explanation. When I started an indefinite hunger strike at Ramlila grounds in Delhi from August 16 to press for a strong Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta in the states, people from across the country joined the agitation. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave me a written assurance that the bill will be introduced in the coming session of the Parliament, so I stayed my hunger strike.” 

    Hazare further said that the Union government sent letters to all state governments seeking their views about passing the Lokayukta bill. “You conveyed to the Union government that the decision of the party high command would be acceptable to you in this regard. Now, the Union government is saying that the decision about passing the Lokayukta bill has to be taken by the respective state governments. Through this letter, I request you to pass the Lokayukta bill to curb corruption in the state,” the letter reads.
    The crusader said he expected the bill to be passed in the winter session of the legislature. “If the bill is not passed by the last day of the winter session, I will have no option but to start an agitation. My hunger strike will start at Alandi and our workers will start an agitation in their respective districts. After seven days, there will be a state-wide jail bharo agitation,” he said.
    Hazare has attached a copy of his July 18 letter and draft of the Lokayukta bill to his letter.
    In his July 18 letter, Hazare had said that money meant for developmental projects and the people did not reach them because of corruption. A strong, independent and powerful Lokayukta on lines of the Lokpal is needed to curb corruption, the letter had stated. HAZARE KHWAISHEIN
IN MUMBAI Govt to consult Hazare on toll policy revision While The DF Is Treading With Caution, Shiv Sena’s Equation With The Activist Remains Uneasy Sandeep Ashar TNN
Mumbai: After the Congress-led central government caught flak in the showdown against anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, the Democratic Front (DF) government in the state is keen to avoid any conflict with him.
    It has decided to consult Hazare before finalizing changes in the
norms for collection of toll tax on state roads. According to information, the state public works department (PWD) has written to the activist seeking time for a presentation on findings of study groups appointed to evaluate measures for an overhaul of toll collection system.
    Toll is collected on entry points of roads that have been improved under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. Revenue thus collected is used to pay the developer for the road work. In December 2010, the PWD appointed three study groups for recommending measures to improve transparency and efficiency in toll collection. The committees, each of which was headed by a chief engineer level officer, were appointed following a protest by Hazare. Alleging corruption in toll contracts, Hazare had threatened to sit on an indefinite strike, which was called off after the government announced the formation of the study groups. The government had even asked the committees to take inputs from independent experts named by Hazare.
    Chaggan Bhujbal, minister, PWD, has now directed the department to seek Hazare’s views on the findings. The activist is yet to revert to the request.
    The finding will be placed before chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and the Cabinet, after consulting Hazare, sources said. Many in the government, however, believe that such an exercise would set a wrong precedent. Bhujbal saw nothing wrong in the exercise.
    While one committee was asked to recommend measures to improve infrastructure at toll nakas and suggest changes on the minimum distance between collection points, another examined the feasibility of setting up digital screens at the nakas to display toll collection details. The third committee, meanwhile, was set up to evaluate the possibility of using smart cards at toll nakas.