2 PIOs penalised as per RTI Act

Nagaland Post: Kohima: Friday, 24 July 2015.

Two former Public Information Officers (PIOs) under NPWD were penalised with fines by the Nagaland Information Commission (NIC) for delaying information filed by RTI activist S.Lepzung Jamir on October 7,2014.

The four RTI queries were-(a) on the number of vacant posts under the entire sections of NPWD (R&B), National Highway (NH) and Mechanical Engineering (ME) for grades I-IV ; (b) number of posts vacant through retirement during 2014-15 in the entire departments for grades I-IV; (c) funds sanctioned by centre and state for various infrastructural development works from 2013 till date by issuing withdrawal certificates received from Civil Deposit (CD); details of funds released to the districts and receipts from contractors/local persons and district-wise Utilization Certificate (UC) and (d) total amount of unspent balance in the department under various sections from 2013 till date.

When there was no reply, the first appeal was made on December 12, 2014 to the first appellate authority (Engineer-in-Chief NPWD). Following this, information for only two of four queries was received on January 19, 2015.

The second appeal was then filed on March 13,2015 with the appellate authority-Nagaland Chief Information Commissioner U/S 19 of RTI Act 2005. After the hearing on April 28,2015, the CIC on April 30,2015 directed the department to furnish list of PIOs involved with RTI. The next hearing fixed on June 24 was postponed to July 14 in view of the CIC being indisposed.

On July 14, the NIC observed that the initial information was provided on January 19,2015 after 104 days, or 74 days after the expiry of 30-day period.

NIC also noted that from the date of receipt of RTI query on October 7,2014 the two PIOs-Er.K.Rhetso and Er.Limanaro handled the RTI and failed to furnish information sought for.

At the conclusion, the NIC imposed a penalty of Rs.18,500 on both- Rs.7500 on Er.Rhetso for a delay of 30 days and Rs.11,000 on Er.Limanaro for a delay of 44 days. The NIC further directed both to pay the amount within one month from the date of receipt of the order and the amount deposited in the government treasury through challans.