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| 'Forest officials grab Deptt land in south Kashmir, Govt fails to take action' | | Jangal main Mangal | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 15: The state government has failed to take action against two officials of the Forest department who have allegedly encroached upon a piece of land of their department which is part of a forest nursery in Bijbehara area of south Kashmir.
The officials (both brothers) have allegedly constructed residential houses on the land and were suspended for this act in 2008.
Now, the State Information Commission (SIC) has issued penalty notice against the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) concerned, as he had denied information on the issue under Right to Information Act. But in-spite of all this the land continues to be under the illegal occupation of the two officials.
Last year in December, the SIC issued notice against the DFO Lidder Forest Division as he had failed to provide information to an information seeker under RTI Act within stipulated time.
The Information seeker had sought details about encroachment of the forest land (forest nursery) by the two officials of the Forest department.
The information seeker, Sharief Ali Noori, a resident of Rawalpora, Srinagar, filed a second appeal before SIC on 16.11.2015 submitting that he had moved an application before PIO Forest Department Kashmir (CCF Office) on 12.03.2015 for providing information under provisions of RTI Act 2009 and the same was forwarded to PIO/DFO Lidder Forest Division Bijbehara under communication dated 18.3.2015.
Noori alleges that no information was provided till 15.07.2015 and he filed first appeal before 1st Appellate Authority (FAA) ie Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Kashmir on 16.07.2015 and no date was communicated by the Appellate Authority for hearing of his appeal.
The information seeker also alleged that PIO provided incomplete and false information on some points vide letter dated 14.07.2015 and PIO was informed on the same day about the incomplete and false information.
Since no action was initiated by the CCF Kashmir, the appellant submitted second before the SIC. The appellant stated that the PIO delayed information and requested SIC for initiating proceedings for imposing penalty on the PIO (DFO Lidder Forest Division) under provisions of the RTI law.
The information sought in the RTI application and reply given by the PIO were perused by SIC and arguments of both the parties were heard.
The SIC order issued in Dec 2015 reads: "Therefore, the information provided is relevant as the Public Authority/ PIO has provided information as it exists on record. However, PIO has not responded to queries regarding Administrative approval and Technical sanction. Accordingly, DFO Bijbehara is directed to respond to this limb of information as per records and inform appellant. In so far as delay is concerned, DFO Bijbehara is directed to explain as to why penalty proceedings under Section 17 of the Act shall not be initiated against him. His explanation, if any, should reach the Commission within three weeks from the receipt of this order along with compliance of directions passed here-in above. With these directions, the appeal filed before the Commission is disposed of." |
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