Times
of India: Puducherry: Friday, 16 April 2021.
Director (health and family welfare services) S Mohan Kumar claimed that the directorate complied with the Central information commission's (CIC) order of furnishing the information on expenses incurred for Covid-19 treatment sought under RTI Act to the applicant within 20 days.
A section of media including The Times of India carried an article on Wednesday and Thursday pointing out that the directorate failed to furnish the information despite two orders from the CIC.
Kumar in a statement on Thursday said the CIC in its order dated January 29 directed him to furnish all information sought under the RTI on the directorate's website.
"Accordingly, the details of purchases (except pricing, bidder details and cancelled supply order details) were uploaded in the directorate's website immediately," he claimed.
He further claimed that the CIC in an order dated March 25 directed him to offer his comments and comply with its January 29 order within 20 days.
"Meanwhile, all the left-out information was updated in the DHFWS (Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services) website in its updation on April 12 well within the deadline of the CIC. Hence, it is not true that the DHFWS failed to furnish information despite two orders from the CIC," he said.
National Campaign for People’s Right to Information member Saurav Das, who filed the RTI, pooh-pooed Kumar's claim terming it as 'untrue and misleading'. He pointed out that Kumar, the first appellate authority, admitted in his reply in October last year that certain information was not provided by the public information officer. Kumar had then further claimed that certain information could not be divulged since it is under process.
"It was challenged and proved before the CIC that as of January 7 the last updated information on the website is of July 24 last year. It is unrealistic to believe that the process of purchase is not yet over since then. More than five months have passed and such information like process of purchase cannot be withheld from public,” said Das.
Das pointed out that the RTI was filed under the ‘life and liberty’ clause, information for which is to be provided within 48 hours. He said the CIC cautioned and asked Kumar to evolve a robust system for handling RTI applications.
“…the directorate sent me a revised reply to the RTI (on April 14), which again, except company names this time, lagged exact additional information that was asked. Details about how purchases were made and its process, cost to exchequer on cancelled orders, etc. that the director claimed could not be divulged at that time, has not been furnished. The director himself admitted that website was finally updated on April 12 after a final warning by CIC. Again, the updated list on the website lags all the additional information sought. I will continue to my work until I get the information public,” said Das.
Director (health and family welfare services) S Mohan Kumar claimed that the directorate complied with the Central information commission's (CIC) order of furnishing the information on expenses incurred for Covid-19 treatment sought under RTI Act to the applicant within 20 days.
A section of media including The Times of India carried an article on Wednesday and Thursday pointing out that the directorate failed to furnish the information despite two orders from the CIC.
Kumar in a statement on Thursday said the CIC in its order dated January 29 directed him to furnish all information sought under the RTI on the directorate's website.
"Accordingly, the details of purchases (except pricing, bidder details and cancelled supply order details) were uploaded in the directorate's website immediately," he claimed.
He further claimed that the CIC in an order dated March 25 directed him to offer his comments and comply with its January 29 order within 20 days.
"Meanwhile, all the left-out information was updated in the DHFWS (Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services) website in its updation on April 12 well within the deadline of the CIC. Hence, it is not true that the DHFWS failed to furnish information despite two orders from the CIC," he said.
National Campaign for People’s Right to Information member Saurav Das, who filed the RTI, pooh-pooed Kumar's claim terming it as 'untrue and misleading'. He pointed out that Kumar, the first appellate authority, admitted in his reply in October last year that certain information was not provided by the public information officer. Kumar had then further claimed that certain information could not be divulged since it is under process.
"It was challenged and proved before the CIC that as of January 7 the last updated information on the website is of July 24 last year. It is unrealistic to believe that the process of purchase is not yet over since then. More than five months have passed and such information like process of purchase cannot be withheld from public,” said Das.
Das pointed out that the RTI was filed under the ‘life and liberty’ clause, information for which is to be provided within 48 hours. He said the CIC cautioned and asked Kumar to evolve a robust system for handling RTI applications.
“…the directorate sent me a revised reply to the RTI (on April 14), which again, except company names this time, lagged exact additional information that was asked. Details about how purchases were made and its process, cost to exchequer on cancelled orders, etc. that the director claimed could not be divulged at that time, has not been furnished. The director himself admitted that website was finally updated on April 12 after a final warning by CIC. Again, the updated list on the website lags all the additional information sought. I will continue to my work until I get the information public,” said Das.
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