Times of India: Margao: Tuesday, 23 November 2021.
The first appellate authority of Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has by a judgement and order directed the head clerk/store keeper of the municipality to provide information sought under RTI within a period of 10 days, failing which the errant municipal staff will have to pay a fine of Rs 250 per day.
Convener of Shadow Council for Margao Savio Coutinho had filed an RTI application on July 16 seeking information with respect to mobile phone sets procured by the MMC during the last three terms of the Council i.e. 2005-10, 2010-15 and 2015-20. Information was also sought on the total expenditure incurred on procurements during each of the three terms, and details of the outgoing councillors who have not handed over their respective mobile phones back to the council.
Coutinho had also sought information about the details of returned mobile sets in possession of the council. During the course of the hearing, the first appellate authority had given the head clerk/store keeper several opportunities to furnish the information sought by the applicant.
MMC chief officer Agnelo Fernandes, who is the first appellate authority under the RTI Act, passed the judgement and order on November 16 directing the head clerk/store keeper of the council to provide the information sought under RTI within a period of 10 days, “failing which she will be liable to pay a fine of Rs 250 per day.”
“Every time a new council is formed, new mobile sets are purchased, which are to be returned to the council on the expiry of the term,” Coutinho said, explaining the purpose of seeking the RTI information. “Nobody, however, knows whether all the outgoing councillors have returned their mobile sets, and if returned, what happens to these sets thereafter. Whether old or new, the mobile sets are the asset/property of the council, and proper accountability is mandatory in this regard,” he said.
The first appellate authority of Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has by a judgement and order directed the head clerk/store keeper of the municipality to provide information sought under RTI within a period of 10 days, failing which the errant municipal staff will have to pay a fine of Rs 250 per day.
Convener of Shadow Council for Margao Savio Coutinho had filed an RTI application on July 16 seeking information with respect to mobile phone sets procured by the MMC during the last three terms of the Council i.e. 2005-10, 2010-15 and 2015-20. Information was also sought on the total expenditure incurred on procurements during each of the three terms, and details of the outgoing councillors who have not handed over their respective mobile phones back to the council.
Coutinho had also sought information about the details of returned mobile sets in possession of the council. During the course of the hearing, the first appellate authority had given the head clerk/store keeper several opportunities to furnish the information sought by the applicant.
MMC chief officer Agnelo Fernandes, who is the first appellate authority under the RTI Act, passed the judgement and order on November 16 directing the head clerk/store keeper of the council to provide the information sought under RTI within a period of 10 days, “failing which she will be liable to pay a fine of Rs 250 per day.”
“Every time a new council is formed, new mobile sets are purchased, which are to be returned to the council on the expiry of the term,” Coutinho said, explaining the purpose of seeking the RTI information. “Nobody, however, knows whether all the outgoing councillors have returned their mobile sets, and if returned, what happens to these sets thereafter. Whether old or new, the mobile sets are the asset/property of the council, and proper accountability is mandatory in this regard,” he said.
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