Interstate water disputes off RTI act

Deccan Chronicle: Thiruvananthapuram: Monday, 04 August 2014.

The Water Resources Department has issued an order restricting any divulgence of information pertaining to inter-State water disputes, even  under the Right to Information Act, citing that it might hamper the State’s interests.

The frequent controversies and embarrassment caused to the State Government by documents pertaining to inter-State water affairs being discussed openly is learnt to have prompted the Government to issue such an order which may kick off a controversy.

According to the order issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (water resources) V.J. Kurian on July 22, “all documents or information related to inter-State water issues or matters and documents or information which the Government feels privy and the disclosure of the same that may hamper the interest of the State shall be exempted from being revealed to the public even on request under RTI Act, until the disposal of various cases pending before the Supreme Court and other courts.”

State Information Commissioner Siby Mathews said such an order by a State Government may not stand in legal scrutiny. It is also learnt that the Information Commission had earlier rejected the contention of the Water Resources Department in a couple of instances that divulging information pertaining to inter-State water issues would affect the State’s security.

Sources at the Water Resources Department said the decision was taken in view of a proposal of the inter-State water cell to exempt all information related to inter-State water matters from being revealed to the public even on request under the RTI Act. The State Government also received legal opinion in favour of the proposal. Based on this, the restrictions were imposed by invoking Section 8 of the RTI Act.