DNA: Mumbai: Monday, July 16, 2018.
In a one of
its kind move, the state information commission (SIC) has taken a suo motu
cognisance of non-compliance of its order. It has asked the chief executive
officer (CEO) of Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to come before it with a
notarised affidavit on July 23, 2018 on the compliance it has done of its
order.
To improve
transparency in spending of government money and slum rehab schemes, the SIC
had declared housing societies under slum rehab component of SRA to be public
authorities on December 19, 2017. Often lack of transparency in names of
eligible beneficiaries in annexure has lead to allegations of corruption and
eligible people being left out in slum rehab projects.
SIC order
asked SRA to appoint public information officer (PIO) in a month’s time from
societies and an officer not below the rank of assistant registrar as first
appellate authority (FAA). It also asked SRA to create infrastructure and train
PIOs on RTI in six month’s time.
Some citizens
have often complained of authorities not complying commission orders by not
providing information. However, this time, a public authority seems to have
done what they do with citizens.
After six
months and various meetings, when SRA failed to provide any compliane, a
suo-motu complaint was registered. The hearing notice intimation stated that
SIC orders are binding and there is also a GR related to it.
“It is a very
good move. When officers at very high level do not implement orders, the
commission can not only summon them but also issue an arrest warrant. There are
times when they should do it,” said Shailesh Gandhi, former central information
commissioner.
“There are
many lacunae in housing societies functioning. People either do not know their
rights or do not know how to get them. The commission should make the SRA CEO
accountable,” said Bhaskar Prabhu, another RTI activist. Deepak Kapoor, CEO of
SRA did not respond to sms from DNA.
DETAILS OF
THE ORDER
- SIC order asked SRA to appoint public information officer in a month’s time from societies & an officer not below the rank of assistant registrar as first appellate authority
- It also asked SRA to create infrastructure & train PIOs on RTI in 6 month
- Order was meant to ensure transparency and to look into corruption, if any
.JPG)
.JPG)
