Waves Of Raghav Radio

The rise and fall of Raghav Radio in a remote district of

Bihar is not just a case of innovation in technology and rugged

entrepreneurship, but also a classic example of administrative laws being

applied without an intelligent and sensitive appraisal. True, administration,

unlike other agencies such as media or an academic researcher, or even the

political entrepreneur has to operate within the law. Contrary, a slightly more

proactive administration could have 'leveraged' this innovation, not just

for supporting Raghav, but also for institutionalizing this development and

spreading it across the country. Reason, that this has been one of the most

significant breakthroughs in recent times.

Such situations often crop up where administrators are

expected to implement laws and regulations, which were made in a time and

context that was so different. Take for example the Prevention of Food

Adulteration Act (PFA), which sp ecifies the quality parameters and the 'fat

and SNF (solids, not fat) content in milk'. The PFA was formulated in the

context of milk supply to metro towns. But it was soon extended to cover non

metro areas, including the hill and mountain regions, where cows graze on

mountain slopes and do not get feed supplements which are the norm in the plain

areas. Naturally their milk is not as 'dense', and does not match up to the

PFA norms. Should the sale of such pure unadulterated milk from the mountain

cows be banned in Darjeeling and Shimla and Mussorie? Well, as per the strict

interpretation of PFA, criminal prosecution should be launched not only against

the producers, but also against the vendors who have supplied this pure, organic

milk, which is definitely less toxic and more beneficial to the human body than

any other milk? 

Faced with a situation of this nature in the early

nineties, the undersigned wrote to the government and got the application of PFA

amended for the hill sub divisions of the Darjeeling district.

I gave this example to highlight the fact that rules and

laws are not Biblical injunctions, which cannot be changed. In fact, I would go

to the extent of saying that it is the fundamental duty of ground level

administrators to point out the lacunae in laws, which makes the system so

unresponsive and negative. Many such examples can be given where the district

administration has intervened in a positive and proactive manner, and suggested

the necessary changes under legal provisions, or at least supported individuals

and groups to get the requisite support.

What could have been done?

• Step
  
  1: The DM should have visited Raghav personally, or at
  
  least sent an officer to ascertain that what Raghav was doing was one of the
  
  finest, low cost interventions in rural communications. He should have got
  
  the police to verify that Raghav was not involved in any insurgency group,
  
  and that the innovation was not creating any intentional problems in the
  
  police wireless service.

• Step
  
  2: The DRDA should have stepped in, as it is essentially a
  
  project of rural empowerment. A team of the PD DRDA, the DIO, and possibly a
  
  proactive member of the local bar council should have been constituted to
  
  assist Raghav to fulfill all the requirements of licensing.

• Step
  
  3: The actual grant of a license to Raghav may have taken some
  
  more time, but then Raghav's strength and finances would have become
  
  formidable.  Raghav's
  
  exceptional skills and technique could have been recognized in near future.

Let me end on a positive note. Raghav's case has stirred

a debate. As soon as it was reported over the Internet by Osama Manzar,

director, Digital Empowerment Foundation, support for Raghav grew. The National

Innovation Foundation has stepped in to assist. And the case is being discussed

in the LBS National Academy. Hopefully, we will also see a change in the policy

regime in this sector. The potential and scope is phenomenal, and hopefully,

over the next few months, we will hear the waves make an impact!

Sanjeev Chopra,

secretary, industry & IT, Uttaranchal Government



mail@dqindia.com


The views expressed are his personal and not that of the government