GIC comes down heavily on DISH for not providing information under the RTI Act to Raghunath Manvar

Times of India: Rajkot: Wednesday, 22 April 2015.

Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has come down heavily on the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH), Ahmedabad, for not providing information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to Raghunath Manvar.

Manvar, a resident of Ahmedabad, had filed an RTI application in June 2009 with DISH seeking details about the licence issued to Gujarat Composite Ltd (Kaligam), workers employed by the company, inspection records by the government officials, deaths due to occupational hazards in the last seven years and details about the workers who were exposed to hazardous asbestos.

However, even after repeated orders by GIC, the public information officer (PIO) of DISH did not comply with the orders.

"Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health has failed to give complete information to the RTI applicant who has demanded information concerning the safety and health of labourers working in the Gujarat Composite Ltd, which uses hazardous materials like asbestos in its processing. The persistent reluctance from PIO to provide information raises suspension that the authorities are deliberately not disclosing the information relating to the concerned industrial unit which apparently is not taking sufficient measures for the safety of and health of the labourers," state chief information commissioner Balwant Singh observed.

Singh also imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 on PIO M M Priyadarshi, who is assistant director with DISH.

GIC, in its order of April 4, also directed principal secretary, forests and environment department to conduct an inquiry to ascertain whether the company is taking sufficient measures for the safety and health of its labourers handling hazardous substances like asbestos while working in the same unit.

It further observed that in occupations where hazardous substance like asbestos is used, it was necessary that the industrial unit establish best system for its workers' health and safety. "Prima facie, it seems that the information be made public for the larger public interest, about concerned industry (in this case, Gujarat Composite Ltd) and whether it has established such system or not," the order said.