Times of India: Bhopal: Thursday, January 15, 2015.
General
administration department (GAD), which is crucial in disseminating information,
is curiously indifferent about promoting RTI awareness even as proactive
disclosure is a pressing matter in the state.
To check
ground reality, TOI filed a RTI query on June 27, 2014, seeking information on
funds spend by GAD on RTI awareness in the state. But six months on, department
is yet to reply. The Act mandates a 30-day deadline for reply on a query.
On September
16, 2014, TOI filed an appeal under section 18 (C) of RTI Act, 2005, with chief
information commissioner, requesting an inquiry on the pending RTI query.
On not
hearing from both GAD and commission, TOI again filed a plea on November 21,
2014, seeking early hearing on the case with chief information commissioner,
state information commission. This correspondent also used the privilege of
being a woman appellant to get speedy RTI reply, but in vain.
Also, TOI
repeatedly contacted principal secretary, GAD, K Suresh and principal secretary
GAD (personnel) Ashwani Rai, on these issues, but they refused to comment.
Officers remained tight-lipped on non-compliance of proactive disclosure under
Section 4 of RTI Act.
Earlier,
speaking to TOI, Suresh said, "I am not the authorized person to give
information on this issue. Contact Ashwani Rai."
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