E-Paper
Constituent colleges yet to implement RTI Act
CONSTITUENT COLLEGES of Allahabad University (AU) have failed to implement the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The colleges have not formed the public information units despite the orders of the government to implement the Act within 100 days of its enforcement on June 15, 2006.
CONSTITUENT COLLEGES of Allahabad University (AU) have failed to implement the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The colleges have not formed the public information units despite the orders of the government to implement the Act within 100 days of its enforcement on June 15, 2006.
It is to be recalled that all the central and state universities and their constituent and affiliated colleges have been taken into account as public authority and were answerable to the public under the RTI Act. Besides, the institutes controlled by Centre or State who were getting direct or indirect aid also come within the purview of the RTI Act.
The colleges were directed to form public information units and to provide the information to the public through the internet or other medium. The colleges were directed to appoint public information officers within 100 days of the enforcement of RTI Act besides providing information regarding specialty, work, duties and powers of the officers and employees besides names of different committees and boards to the public through internet and other mediums within 120 days.
UGC has issued circulars to the central and state universities and their constituent colleges and affiliates in this regard. Letters were issued to UGC besides AU's Chief Public Information Officer and Dean Colleges to form the public information units.
AU immediately appointed a CPIO and a team of assistant PIOs following the circular and uploaded the information on the website. However, the constituent colleges have failed to taken any initiative in this regard. According to CPIO Prof Amarendra Kumar Singh, public information units have not been constituted by any of the constituent college and he has received complaints from three colleges in this regard. Earlier in November, 2005, Dean (Colleges) Prof Savindra Singh had directed the principals to form the information cells and again by Dean (Colleges) in a meeting of the principals in July, 2006. It seems that the principals have not paid any heed to the instructions given by the authorities.
On contacting, principal Ewing Christian College Dr Marwin Massey said that " We have prepared all the drafts and manuals and designated Dr ADM David of Chemistry department as the PIO but not in public domain". Dr Massey said that the college initiated the process few months back and prepared the manuals according to a set pattern in co-ordination with AU authorities. " We will announce the public information system after validating the manuals within ten days", added Dr Massey.
