Over 7,000 water department files missing from Bandra ward

DNA: Mumbai: Monday, 15 February 2016.

The state information commission criticised the public information officer and said that an FIR should have been filed if the files were missing and that the information be given.

Over 7,000 files related to water supply in the H-West Ward (Bandra to Santa Cruz) alone are missing, according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.

In May 2013, another RTI had revealed that nearly 6,000 files related to building proposals were missing from across the city.

In the present instance, Vinay Rane, resident of St John Baptist Road in Bandra, wanted to know the status of additional water supply he and his neighbours were to get.

"The corporator from our area told us that, from his funds, he has laid a new pipeline. However, even after several months, we did not get any additional supply and the water pressure didn't increase either. When I checked with him, who is not our corporator anymore, he told me that officials are saying that files are missing," said Rane.

Rane then sought to know the details of the files related to the area. The public information officer earlier stated that only 28 files were missing. Finding the information given to be incorrect, since an earlier application had given a different figure, he filed an appeal. The appellate authority stated that information be provided with updated figures. However, when no information was given, the applicant approached the information commission.

The state information commission criticised the public information officer and said that an FIR should have been filed if the files were missing and that the information be given.

"There are lot of slums in the area to which they give illegal connections on fake ration cards by taking bribes. This results in lesser water supply. It was only after an order from the commission that the FIR was filed," said Rane.

"It only goes to show what the officials do when things are not followed up with them. They either give illegal connections or provide it to the tanker mafia who sell the same water at higher rates," said Rane. dna could not get in touch with the municipal commissioner.