Kashmir Observer: Srinagar: Saturday,
April 22, 2017.
An
Application vide number JKRTIF/2017/003 Dated: 03/03/2017 was filed by Chairman
J&K RTI Foundation Engineer Irfan Banka despatched via speed post on
09-03-2017 which was received by concerned PIO Department of Health and Medical
Education.
The
Application was filed to check the malfunctioning of the Hospitals in the state
and make public the deviation of actual ratio of caesarean deliveries from the
international norms.
WHO says that
the ratio of caesarean to normal deliveries must not be greater than 10-15
percent, but it seems that it is something different in the state and hence the
application was filed.
Under RTI
rules, even if the PIO needed to transfer application, the information must
have been dispatched to the applicant within thirty five days from the date of
receipt of application; but unfortunately, the PIO Department of Health and
Medical Education J&K shows non-serious approach towards RTI Law as he did
not respond with a specific reply. Instead he sent a letter No:
HD/Coord/RTI/11/2017 dated: 27.03.2017 that was dispatched on 08-04-2017 via
speed post and received by the applicant on 20-04-2017.
The letter
contents says “An application under Section 6(1) of the J&K RTI Act 2009
filed by Satish Jain S/o Sh Chanan Shah Jain R/o Colonel’s Colony, Opp Airport,
Rani Bagh, Satwari, Jammu has been received by this department on 27.03.2017”
The reply is totally false and irrelevant and is addressed to somebody else
just to deceive and mislead the applicant.
“I had sought
only three points of information asking for Hospital-wise ratio number of
caesarian deliveries in J&K and the ratio of caesarean to normal deliveries
as per norms/rules. I believe that the ratio here is very much deviated from
the international norms set by WHO and it should not be more than 10-15
percent. Hence this application was filed. The hospitals are in thirst of
seeking reputation instead of caring about the health of patients. I believe
that the department is misleading me and thinks the applicant will tire before
filing complaint in J&K SIC” said the applicant Er. Irfan Banka who is the
Chairman, J&K RTI Foundation.
Er Banka
further added that “On ground level more that 95 percent applicants are dropped
at the PIO level only in rural areas and due to the non-awareness of the appeal
and complaint process added by misleading, false and irrelevant replies by PIO’s
the applicants get tired and lose faith in power of RTI.
The
commission must penalize such officers and recommend disciplinary action
against erring PIO’s so as to strengthen the Act in the state which could also
reduce number of appeals and complaints.”
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