Times of India: Bhopal: Monday, November 17, 2014.
Fed up with
constant hum and air pollution from 'illegal' flour mill in neighbourhood,
which makes 'life miserable', Yogendra Pratap Singh, 58, resident of Gwalior,
is struggling to get it removed for past nine years. He tried to get it off by
writing to officials he knows, moved court and ultimately turned to Right to
Information Act.
On Friday,
little success came Singh's way in form of orders from state information
commission, which ordered the electricity department to provide him with copies
of an inspection report.
Singh claims
the inspection, which was carried following his complaint with collector,
discom officials found the mill is running on a motor of 10 horse power which
is above permissible limit of 5 horse power.
"I made
first complaint in 2005 to SP, district collector and other officials,"
Singh, a resident of Shatabdi Puram area of Gwalior, told TOI over phone.
When nothing
happened I had moved writ petition in high court. On September 7, 2005, the
court had ordered that 10 HP motors should not be used in residential areas, he
said.
The
connection of accused was snapped, but later following certifications of
pollution officials that 5 HP motor doesn't create noise, it was re-started,
Singh said.
"But
instead of using 5 HP motor they still use 10 HP motor," Singh alleged.
"Later on June 19, 2012, I made a complaint with district collector,
collector then instructed officials of the electricity distribution company to
conduct inspection and take adequate action," he said.
Subsequently,
they conducted an inspection where it was found that 10 HP pump was being used,
but the report was not submitted to the district collector. So on July 7, 2013,
I sought the report under RTI Act, he said.
Public
information officer of power distribution company denied giving information
then again I made an appeal with appellate authority who too denied giving me
information, Singh said, adding, "Ultimately on September 29, 2013 I made
a second appeal with state information commission."
State
information commissioner Atmadeep while hearing his petition ordered on
November 14 that information should be provided to applicant in seven days.
Commenting on the decision, Atmadeep in the order said not providing
information to the applicant in this case is like curtailing his basic human
rights and rights to freedom as the usage of motor above permissible limits
produced circumstances which made his life miserable.
"Now I
am hopeful that if I get copies of the inspection report I will move court as
it is contempt of its order and it is most likely that at last my family will
be able to sleep in noise-free environment," Singh said.
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