Doon CMO fined for not replying to RTI

Times of India: Dehradun: Tuesday, June 04, 2019.

The state information commission has imposed a penalty on the chief medical officer of Dehradun recently for not providing the information sought in an RTI plea.

According to sources, Dehradun CMO Dr SK Gupta was fined Rs 2,500 for not providing adequate information sought in an RTI petition. The commission has ordered that the amount be deducted from the official’s salary.

Sources said that PL Sharma, a resident of Doiwala, had filed an RTI petition in the health department a couple of months ago. While the applicant had sought answers to three questions, the CMO provided only two. On the third question, he said that the health directorate would provide the information.

Hence, the applicant approached the state information commission seeking help. State chief information commissioner JP Mamgai conducted an inquiry and found that the CMO should have forwarded the RTI to the health directorate. Hence, he issued a notice to the CMO seeking reply on the lapses on his part. Later, Gupta appeared before the commission personally and recorded his statement.

On finding the official’s statement unsatisfactory, the commission imposed a penalty of Rs 2,500 on the CMO.

Talking to TOI, Gupta said, “I informed the commission that the delay occurred due to some misunderstanding.”