RTI official fumes at Visakhapatnam DM&HO

Deccan Chronicle: Visakhapatnam: Thursday, May 30, 2013.

RTI commissioner Tantiya Kumari addresses officials
 at a review meeting in Visakhapatnam

State Information Commissioner L. Tantia Kumari expressed dissatisfaction with the medical and health officials for not maintaining the RTI registers properly.

She visited the drug storage unit, district cold chain complex, Vaidya Vidhana Prarishad district coordinator’s office, immunisation centre and other sections of the department here on Wednesday and verified the records, as part of inspecting implementation of the RTI Act, and found that the registers were not being updated properly in majority of the wings.

She questioned the district medical & health officer Dr R. Syamala about the existing records, to which the latter said that public information officers were not present at the office at that moment.

Infuriated over the reply, the commissioner warned officials of strict action if each office did not maintain registers under the Act. “It will be viewed as a serious lapse,” she said.

About 14 GVMC officials were penalised ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 25,000 for failing to provide info in stipulated time, she informed. Later, she also visited the medical and health regional director’s office and found that 4(1) B registers were not available and she warned of action against responsible officials.

She said action would be taken if the condition did not improve by the time she visits the office next time. Further, she held a review meeting with the medical and health department and GVMC officials at the GVMC office.

She interacted with the public information officials on implementation of the Act at various levels and sought details of applications received from the public. The commissioner said officials need not wait for the stipulated 30 days to provide information to the people. Information can be provided to those seeking even before that, she said.

She said officials have to put in efforts to provide information in local language. GVMC commissioner M. V. Satyanarayana, additional commissioner K. Ramesh, KGH superintendent Dr Madhusudhan Babu, medical officers, GVMC officials were also present.