E-Paper
Punjab information commission slaps fine of ₹25,000 on Ludhiana MC official for giving wrong information
The assistant town planner was suspended for passing fake information to a couple seeking details of a project in their area
The Punjab State Information Commission has imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on assistant town planner (ATP) Sunil Kumar, who is already under suspension, for passing wrong information to the applicant seeking details of a project in their area.
The commission has also ordered the municipal corporation, Ludhiana, to give ₹15,000 as compensation to the applicant for harassment.
The commissioner ordered that the compensation be paid via a crossed cheque, demand draft and proof of payment be submitted to this commission. Next hearing of the matter has been scheduled for February 15, 2024. The commission has directed MC commissioner Sandeep Rishi to provide a pointwise reply to the RTI application along with the information sought therein to the appellant.
Neha Ghai of Vardhman Park on Chandigarh Road and her husband Naveen Ghai said that they found some violations in the colony. They had taken up the matter with Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). The RERA disposed of the matter in their favour.
He had filed an application under the Right to information (RTI) Act on December 22, 2020 seeking information from the MC about what approvals were given to Vardhman Park project, but assistant town planner (ATP) Sunil Kumar, who was also holding the charge of public information officer (PIO) at the time, was reluctant in passing the information.
Ghai stated that while they received information on December 13, 2022 on their RTI application, with the PIO mentioning that the as an inquiry is on by the Central Vigilance Office (CVO) municipal corporation, the information cannot be supplied. The applicant said that when he contacted the CVO, they replied that no such inquiry was going on.
Ghai said that after he raised the issue with authorities, they suspended the services of ATP Sunil Kumar.
He added that they file the first appeal with appellate authority on January 12, 2023 and second appeal was filed in the commission on May 11, 2023. He also alleged that he found gross violation of bylaws in the colony and the MC officials were hand in gloves with the violators.
