‘No RTI pleas in BBMP HQ’ : Commissioner issues circular not to accept applications pertaining to other zones as giving info was getting delayed.

Bangalore Mirror: Bangalore: Friday, 05 December 2014.

Nearly eight years ago, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had set up an exclusive Right to Information (RTI) cell in its head office, which was a centralised unit for its eight zones. But now, the BBMP has decided to stop collecting RTI applications in this cell unless an appeal is submitted with it.

This act of the BBMP has invited the wrath of RTI applicants. Earlier, an applicant from Basavangudi seeking information from Mahadevpura zone could do so from the head office. But now, the applicant will have to personally go to the Mahadevpura office or send the request through courier.

BBMP Commissioner M Lakshminarayana issued a circular on November 29 stating that no application would be entertained unless accompanied by an appeal. He said that under the RTI Act, 2005, the BBMP had set up a public information officer and first appeal officer. These officials accepted applications in the BBMP's head office.

But due to the large number of requests, the cell was being overburdened. Also, the process had become time consuming.

The RTI cell in-charge and assistant revenue officer H Kamala told Bangalore Mirror, "We have stopped accepting RTI applications addressed to other officials except the BBMP commissioner. We are now asking applicants to send their applications to the concerned officer. Applications received by post are dispatched to concerned officer."

According to an official of the RTI cell in the BBMP head office, they receive 150 to 200 applications every day and sometimes, this number reaches 600. Most of the applications are addressed direct to the BBMP commissioner though he is the appellant officer and some other officer is designated the public information officer. Last week one person had filed around 700 applications."

RTI FACTSHEET :

BBMP HQ RTI cell receives 150 to 200 applications every day Most are addressed to PIO but are submitted in the name of the commissioner One application is addressed to several officers and RTI cell has to take photocopies to forward them to officers concerned The information is not furnished in time.