CIC tells Govt to give names of officers violating Forest Act

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CIC tells Govt to give names of officers violating Forest Act

As Reported in Zee News (Bureau Report)

New Delhi, July 16: The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests to reveal names of officers who have allegedly violated the Forest Conservation Act, saying there was visible public interest in it.

"We concur entirely that there is clear, overriding and visible public interest involved in the information sought," Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said while hearing the matter through video conferencing.

Habibullah directed the ministry to withdraw any circular - that states that the information that has to be arranged in a proper sequence - should not be provided.

The petitioner, Mohanty, filed a plea before the Commission under the Right to Information Act after the Ministry failed to provide the information.

He said that the sought information would reveal if the public authority having duty to protect environment and forest wealth is enquiring into complaints and booking cases against offenders or not.

The respondent told the CIC that since the information was not held in the form in which it was sought, it cannot be provided under the general instructions from his ministry.

After hearing both the sides, Habibullah directed the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to disclose information to Mohanty within 20 days.


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