Activist accuses UT of poor disposal of RTI applications
A city-based RTI activist, RK Garg, has lodged a complaint with the ministry of home affairs (MHA) about the poor disposal of RTI applications and lack of transparency in the working of the UT administration.
A city-based RTI activist, RK Garg, has lodged a complaint with the ministry of home affairs (MHA) about the poor disposal of RTI applications and lack of transparency in the working of the UT administration.
In the letter, Garg maintains that it has become a practice to send a letter to the RTI applicant on the last day of the prescribed time frame of 30 days to say that information is being collected and later on ask for hefty amount as photocopy charges.
The central public information officers (CPIO) do not comply with the orders of appellate authority. Even the appellate authority does not bother to dispose of appeal within the time frame permitted under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. In many cases even after a velar order is issued by the appellate authority, the CPIO neither reply nor supply information.
Giving examples, Garg maintained that he had sought information about instructions/orders issued by the administration to its department for submission of annual property. However, in its reply, the superintendent home-I-cum-CPIO stated that no such instructions/orders were available.
Interestingly, the same official had issued a circular on October 10, 2011, directing all heads of the departments, boards and corporations to submit property details as required under the government employees (conduct) rules, 1966.
Garg also claimed that he had sought information from the malaria department in November 2012, health and municipal corporation in April, 2013, but is yet to receive reply from them.
He further alleged that in one of the case, the police department refused to give information pertaining to police welfare society, despite orders from the appellate authority.