CMDA fails to respond to queries, say RTI applicants; replie

Times of India: Chennai: Friday, July 27, 2018.

Applicants have accused the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) of refusing to furnish details under the Right to Information Act. The planning authority however, denied the charges saying prompt replies are given to the information seekers.

Secretary of T Nagar Residents Welfare Association, B Kannan, said he had filed seven RTI petitions on different issues over the past one year with the CMDA. “None has evoked response from the planning authority. I have to confirm that my petitions have reached the authorities concerned through the postal department,” he said. Noting that he was clueless about the status of his RTI petitions, he said, “I cannot approach the appellate authority because there is no acknowledgement from the CMDA about receipt of my petitions,” he added.

To a recent RTI query by him over building violations in T Nagar, the Greater Chennai Corporation had responded that the documents sought by him were available with the CMDA. “But the CMDA is not even acknowledging the receipt of applications, leaving applicants hanging,” Kannan said, pointing out that it was in violation to the RTI Act.

Another applicant rued that people are forced to run from pillar to post by the authority for information. Sreeramulu, general secretary of the B & C Mills staff union, charged that there is absolutely nil response from the CMDA to RTI queries. “When you approach them seeking an update on the status of a RTI query, they say the concerned department is yet to provide information or that the file was pending with another wing. Our queries are about developments relating to Binny Mills land and none of them saw response,” he added.

CMDA received 1,552 petitions in 2017 and 1,124 queries between January and June this year demanding information under the RTI Act. According to official sources with the CMDA, all petitions were replied to last year, while only 70 were pending in the past two months. “We never ignore RTI petitions,” an official said adding, information cannot be provided for petitions outside the purview of the RTI Act.