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