The Central Information Commission (CIC) has pulled up the UT Administration for not making use of the RTI Act provisions, leading to the harassment of an applicant.
It has directed the CPIO to collect relevant information from the officers concerned and supply it to the complainant, as per the provisions of the RTI Act. Applicant Kishore Chand Sharma had sought information on three points, including a copy of the existing guidelines/ instructions regarding the existing policy of the UT Administration on establishment of new petrol pumps/ retail outlets for urban and rural areas, the number and details of petrol pumps/ retail outlets established in the city during the last 10 years and the policy/ guidelines regarding the change of land use for urban and rural areas and details of cases sanctioned there under during the last five years. (2001-02 to 2007-08).
The CPIO had passed an order dated April 10, 2008, enclosing the information regarding petrol pumps. Dissatisfied with the information, the complainant had filed another complaint. His grievance was that the CPIO had asked him to collect information from the office of Chief Architect and Land Acquisition Officer. He said it was for the CPIO to collect the information from the concurred officers.
The attention of the CPIO has been drawn to sub-section (4) of Section 5 of the RTI Act, under which he can seek assistance of any officer for the proper discharge of his duties. The CIC observed, “It appears that the CPIO has not made use of these provisions and directed the complainant to go from pillar to post.”