Commissioner warns staff to act on RTI applications

[karira]

As reported by TNN in timesofindia.indiatimes.com on 30 June 2009:
Commissioner warns staff to act on RTI applications - Ludhiana - Cities - The Times of India

Commissioner warns staff to act on RTI applications


LUDHIANA: In order to streamline the system of providing information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the municipal corporation (MC) commissioner had asked all public Information officers (PIOs) of the department to disburse relevant information sought under the Act within a week’s time. He also asked the officers of the building branch to deal strictly with illegal buildings.

Addressing a meeting of PIOs, commissioner GS Ghuman said that he had been getting complaints regarding poor performance of the RTI department due to which he has initiated the move. He Ghuman said if he got any further complaints regarding denial of information or supply of irrelevant information then he would take stern action against officers responsible for it. He also asked PIOs that he would take review meetings on the second and last Tuesday of very month.

Presiding over the meeting of the building branch, Ghuman clearly said that construction of illegal buildings was in the knowledge of the state government as the issue had been highlighted enough by media, therefore they should put in extra efforts to deal with the problem. He said due to construction of illegal buildings, the state exchequer and the MC was suffering huge losses, which would not be tolerated. Ghuman said in the coming days the state government would start a drive against all illegal buildings and the principal secretary, director, chief vigilance officer and the chief town planner of the local bodies department at any stage could hold random checking of illegal buildings in the city.

Giving strict warning to all officers of the branch, Ghuman said though the main responsibility would be of the commissioner and senior town planner, lower officers would not be able to escape their responsibility. He once again directed all the officers of the building branch to check all the buildings of the city and issue challans and notices to owners of illegal buildings. He even clearly said that if any corrupt nexus of the building branch officers with the contractors or politicians come in their knowledge, strict action would be initiated against the officers involved in it.

[dhanabalan]

In my Town Panchayat, I sent complaint to Director(Town Panchayat) against the Executive Officer and sent application under RTI . Director sent it to AD(TP) under section 5(4) (5). AD(TP) sent it to Executive officer under section 5(4) (5).
Tax money has been misused. I am a tax payer. I am an affected person. Director should give a reasoned reply under section 4(1)(d) .
How can one expect a genuine reply from Executive officer. How the individual give a report against himself. The E.O. is delaying the reply. Meanwhile he is correcting the records to give reply.
The Director is the Disciplinary Authority. He should conduct an enquiry on my complaint through some enquiry officer. Based on enquiry officer's report, the Director should take decision.
Dhanabalan

[ganpat1956]

Dhanabalan, we have no way of knowing how you made your RTI application. If you had sent a complaint to the Director against the EO and if you had asked through RTI for the action taken report by the Director on your complaint , then how will the Director be able to transfer the RTI application U/s 5 (4)?

[dhanabalan]

Director office is at Chennai. Assistant Director office is at Salem. Town Panchayat is about 25 kilometer from Salem. Since the connected papers are not available at Chennai, Director transferred to Salem. Since the connected papers are not available at Salem, Assistant Director transferred to Town Panchayat Executive Officer.
If I asked any information in records, it is o.k. But I requested the Director to take departmental action against Executive Officer. Director should have asked explanation from Executive Officer. Based on the explanation he should give me the reply. Even if the Executive Officer gives me the reply, it would be incomplete only. I have to wait for the reply.
Dhanabalan

[dhanabalan]

The Executive officer replied that the information asked are not available at his office.
I appealed to the Director(Town Panchayat)