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| Info is on website, BDO Singhpora tells illiterate RTI applicants | | | Early Times Report
Baramulla, May 18: The Block Development Officer (BDO) of block Singhpora in Baramulla district who happens to be the Public Information Officer (PIO) under J&K RTI Act 2009 , in order to avoid RTI information seekers has recently directed an illiterate information seeker to visit official website (national portal) for getting information about works executed under MG-NREGA and Indira Awaas Yojna (IAY). The illiterate residents are now moving from pillar to post , but they are not at all getting justice. It is worthwhile to mention that State Information Commission (SIC) in one of its orders has made it clear that information has to be provided at any cost if it is sought by information seeker under RTI and the PIO cannot deny this information even if it is available on official website.
Details available with Early Times reveal that one Mohammad Ashraf Hajam , Ali Mohammad and others R/O Gund e Ibrahim Singhpora district Baramulla sought information under J&K RTI Act 2009 from BDO Singhpora vide RTI application dated 11.4.2016. The reply provided by BDO Vide letter No: 73-76 DATED 16.4.2016. The BDO's reply reads : " Please refer your RTI application dated 11.4.2016 regarding the subject captioned above . In this backdrop you are intimated that the information related to Job card holders , parentage and job card number and address , guidelines of MGNREGA , details of IAY beneficiaries are available on the websites www.nrega.nic.in andwww.awasoft.nic.in respectively which can be seen by visiting the above given websites. However for remaining information which seems not available on the websites, you can visit office of the undersigned on any working day"
While talking to Early Times Ali Mahammad one of the RTI applicants said " We are illiterate people and have no access to internet, how is it possible for us to get the information from website. RTI Act clearly says that information in shape of records , documents etc ahs to be provided under RTI Act, but the BDO is not at all cooperating with us :
Senior RTI Activist and Coordinator J&K RTI Movement Dr Mushtaq Khan said that response of BDO is totally negative and he has appealed Rural Development Minister and State Information Commission (SIC) to take cognizance to it. " We appeal Abdul Haq Khan sahib Rural Development Minister , Director Rural Development Kashmir and State Information Commission (SIC) to take a serious note of this serious issue. How can an illiterate man use internet , this is a violation of J&K RTI Act 2009" Dr Mushtaq said
Pertinent to mention that State Information Commission (SIC) in its decision issued last year in October had directed all Public Information Officers (PIOs) to provide information sought under J&K RTI Act 2009, even if such information is available on the official website. The SIC issued the directions in case of Imityaz Ahmad V/S DC Jammu who was denied information for several months. Information seeker Imtiyaz Ahmad Rather of Dursuma district Ganderbal sought information under RTI Act about the amount of relief provided to some families in Jammu . After getting no response from PIO DC office Jammu, applicant filed 1st appeal before appellate authority. Again there was no proper response and he filed 2nd appeal before the State Information Commission (SIC).
In his appeal Imtiyaz had stated even after lapse of around four months no reply has been received by him. In his 2nd appeal appellant stated that he had filed 1st appeal with Deputy Commissioner, Jammu. "The first appeal has been disposed of by ADDC, Jammu vide decision No. 5 dated: 19.10.2015 directing the PIO/SDM, Jammu South to provide the information within a week's time. However, I did not receive any information," he stated before SIC. The appellant accordingly requested the Commission to take appropriate necessary action against the officials and to ensure that he gets the correct information sought. While responding to the notice of the SIC, SDM Jammu South filed reply submitting that information sought by the applicant was available on the official website of Deputy Commissioner Jammu and hence, the information was not supplied to information seeker. While issuing directions, the SIC said: "RTI application shall be deemed to have been disposed only when the information seeker is informed about availability of such information on the website as per section 7 of the Act." It added that PIO has to provide information to the information seeker, even if it is available on the official website. |
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