Mumbai Mirror: Mumbai: Friday, January 24, 2014.
The chief
information commissioner has pulled up the Thane regional transport office for
asking an RTI applicant for Rs 55.44 lakh to provide computerised information
regarding auto-rickshaw permits in the city.
Slamming the
designated information officer for "irresponsible behaviour and lack of
knowledge of the law", CIC Ratnakar Gaikwad ordered the state transport
commissioner to post all the information on the RTO website within a month.
Anil Mahadik,
a local businessman, filed a Right to Information application on November 18
seeking to details of the 37,000 registered auto-rickshaws and the 7,900 driver
permits in the city. The RTO's public information officer told Mahadik he would
have to submit individual applications and pay Rs 50 apiece - a total cost of
Rs 55,44,000.
"From an
earlier query, I came to know that Thane has 37,000 autos but there were only
7,900 permits," said Mahdik. "My query was the result of several
instances of crime allegedly committed by auto drivers. Nobody has attempted to
fund out who these people are. To give me the details in a CD, the PIO asked me
for more than RS 50 lakh."
Mahadik in
December approached the first appellate authority, which upheld the PIO's
order. Mahadik then took the matter to CIC Gaikwad, who on Thursday called the
demand "absolutely absurd."
"The
hearing has revealed that the demand for Rs 55,44,000 as fee to provide
computerised information of auto rickshaws and permits reflects irresponsible
behaviour and lack of knowledge of the law," said Gaikawad, ordering the
transport commissioner to display the information on the RTO website before
February 23.
The state
home department has not issued permits since 1997. Mahadik said this has led to
several people plying rickshaws illegally. "Even when permits were freely
issued, they were only given to unemployed people who have been staying in
Mumbai for 15 years," he said. "But how many of these do you really
think are on the streets today? There are all kinds of people from all over
India. And they definitely don't look like they have been around for 15 years.”
.JPG)
.JPG)
