In RTI reply, Estate Office gave wrong information about Sector-24 school

Express news service : Tue Jun 15 2010 : Chandigarh

The UT Estate Office on Monday admitted to giving wrong information under the Right to Information Act and subsequently, initiating eviction proceedings against Strawberry Fields School, Sector 24.

On Friday, the Estate Office had initiated eviction proceedings against the school, as according to the information provided under RTI, the plot on which the school functioned was resumed 16 years ago.

On Monday, UT Deputy Commissioner held a meeting with senior officials of the Estate Office and checked the information provided under RTI.

In a statement released subsequently, the Estate Office stated that it was a case of “mistaken identity”.

“On an application from a city resident, Amit Kumar, seeking information under the Right to Information Act, pertaining to (the) lease details of Nehru Bhawan, Sector 24, the office under mistaken identity...(provided information) pertaining to (the) allotment of land to the forerunners of the International Nehru Centre,” the Estate Office stated.

The 2.262-acre plot of the International Nehru Centre was resumed by the Estate Office 16 years ago. As this information was provided instead of the lease details of the plot of Nehru Bhawan — Strawberry Fields School functions from this plot — eviction proceedings were initiated against the school.

“While perusing the file, the office found the site cancelled. Hence, the proposed eviction of the site... No action is required to be taken in this regard,” the Estate Office further stated.

According to the RTI information, the 2.262-acre plot in question was resumed in 1994, as the allottees had expressed their inability to pay the rent.

Subsequently, Atul Khanna, director of Durga Das Foundation which runs the school, had said, “The 2.262-acre plot in question is not the one on which our play school is located. Our plot, which is one acre in size and a freehold property, was allotted in 1967, and has never been resumed.”

“The eviction was proposed even though no notice was sent to us by the Estate Office,” he said on Monday.