Delhi cop told to pay Rs 5 lakh for seeking info

**ganpat1956** · 08-03-2007, 07:29 PM

Jhajjar, August 2
Naresh Kumar Joon, a head constable of the Delhi police, hailing from Noona Majra village near Bahadurgarh, got the shock of his life when he was directed to deposit a whopping Rs 5 lakh for availing information from the senior medical officer (SMO) at Bahadurgarh community health centre, who also acts as public information officer (PIO).

He, however, filed an appeal with the State Information Commission (SIC), following which the SIC directed the PIO to allow the applicant access to the records.

But when I scanned the records most of the documents were missing, he said, adding that he would complaint to the SIC. He also alleged misappropriation of funds of the health centre.

Joon, husband of staff nurse Darshna, who is posted at the CHC, Bahadurgarh, filed an application with the civil surgeon, Jhajjar, on December 12, 2006, seeking information on nine points regarding various kinds of fees being charged at the centre. After dithering for about four months, the civil surgeon entertained his application and directed the SMO to provide the information and charge the requisite fee.

The SMO dispatched a letter to the applicant on April 20, asking him to shell out Rs 492,100 as the cost of providing the information. It includes Rs 375,200 as charge for providing copies of 3,750 medical legal reports (MLRs) at a rate of Rs 100 per MLR and Rs 40,650 for issuing 813 post mortem reports at a cost of Rs 50 per report. Significantly, this amount excludes the charge of photocopy of these documents that totals about Rs 76,250.

He, however, appealed to the SIO against the unreasonable fee. The commission after summoning the applicant as well as the PIO directed the former to personally examine the files and shortlist the information that he wanted.

Joon alleged that his application was put under wraps for about seven months on one pretext or the other. Firstly, the civil surgeon requested the SIC to give three monthsâ€™ time, citing transfer of officials as reason and then rejected the application saying that the applicant had not signed it. But after he took up the case with the SIC, the civil surgeon in his capacity as first appellate authority directed the SMO through a letter dated April 12 to provide the information to the applicant.

Civil surgeon O.P. Hooda refused to talk on the issue. Joon alleged that his wife was being harassed on account of his sustained efforts to seek information, as she was sent to a village in Mewat district on deputation. It may be mentioned that the normal charges are Rs 2 per page for the photocopy of documents while in Haryana Rs 10 per page are being charged. Moreover, as per section 7 of the RTI Act, the applicant shall be provided information free of charge where a public authority fails to comply with the time limit, i.e. one month.

The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Haryana Plus

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**Dr_Phalswal** · 10-20-2008, 05:59 PM

Sponsorer

Jhajjar, December 27
The State Information Commission (SIC) has held a public information officer (PIO)-cum-senior medical officer of Bahadurgarh community health centre guilty of causing delay in providing information to an applicant under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The PIO has been fined Rs 2,000 and also issued a warning against making such lapses in future.
The PIO, N.K. Mundra, has asked the applicant Naresh Joon of Noona Majra village to cough up Rs 4.92 lakh for availing information of various kinds of pending fee against the medical officers in the CHC, Bahadurgarh. Due to the demand of exaggerated amount, the applicant had to appeal in the SIC which led to delay in procuring the information.
Information commissioner Meenaxi Anand Chaudhry stated in the order that “the PIO-cum-SMO had incorrectly calculated the estimate of additional fee which resulted in delay in furnishing the information”. Strangely, the commission mentioned in the same order that submissions of the PIO in response to the show cause notice of the SIC showed that he had no malafide intention in withholding the information, yet he erred in making an exaggerated estimate of the additional fee.
The PIO has demanded Rs 100 per medical legal report (MLR) copy in addition to the Rs 10, which is the charge of getting a copy of the information under the Act, which resulted in whopping fee of Rs 4.92 lakh. It may be mentioned that Naresh Joon applied for the information in December 2006, but was provided the same in July this year after the applicant pursued his case with the SIC. Intervening in the case, the commission rapped the information officer and waived the entire fee.

**ganpat1956** · 10-20-2008, 08:10 PM

Dr Phalswal,

Can you provide the original source of this report along with the links? Also, please be guided by the http://www.rtiindia.org/forum/5401-r...ns-policy.html, before posting any news reports.

**Dr_Phalswal** · 10-20-2008, 10:20 PM

I have entered the URL in trackback but dont know why it's not visible in my post.
The source of news is Tribune and the date is either 12 or 28 dec 2007. As i'm surfing from mobile now so cant paste the exact link.
The news is not old and quite significant too as recent developments took place. As per Dainik Bhasker 17th Oct, DGMS Haryana has issued charge sheet to 28 doctors of Jhajjar on that RTI.
I have further news of this gentleman's brave fight with system but sadly no authentic source. shall i post or not?