DNA: Mumbai: Monday, May 02, 2016.
A first
appellate authority (FAA) officer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
(BMC) has been pulled up for disrespecting the Right To Information (RTI) Act.
FAAs, often the first stage of scrutiny of information under the RTI, have
often been criticised by the commission for not paying heed to the Act.
In an order
passed on April 26, state chief information commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad has
asked why no action should be initiated against the FAA for failing to conduct
the first appeal hearing and also not appearing for the second appeal hearing,
in an application filed by Fort resident Eknath Pawar. Pawar had sought to know
the details of children who dropped out from BMC schools. The commission also
directed that the information be made available suo motu by May end.
Reportedly,
the public information officer did not provide any information regarding the
matter. When the applicant filed a first appeal, no hearing was conducted.
Citing a General Administration Department (GAD) circular, which talks of
strict disciplinary action against officers for not giving information under
the RTI Act and not attending hearings at the commission without any written
explanation, the commission directed the municipal commissioner to take action
against the officer.
"Statutory
bodies are over administrative bodies. The problem is that officers are not
interested in implementing administrative matters at all. The FAA, an officer
senior to public information officer, only exposes the fact that they are
shielding them. In fact, the RTI Act is a service rule for all employees. Why
should the commission even need to ask for any action? Action should be taken
without the commission's directives," said RTI activist Bhaskar Prabhu.
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