Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 10: The building permissions of several hotels allegedly misplaced by Municipal Committee (MC) Katra are still missing. The SIC's p[penalty notice has not helped to trace out the permissions
The Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) had issued penalty notice against an official of the committee as he has been declared as deemed PIO under RTI Act. The MC officials failed had to provide reply under RTI Act to an information seeker which prompted him to seek intervention of State Information Commissioner (CIC). As reported already by Early Times reveal an information seeker namely Sushil Kumar R/O Panthal road Katra while exercising his right to information filed RTI application dated 30-01-2017 with the Public Information Officer, (PIO) Director Local Bodies, Jammu seeking following information:
Certified copy of map of Hotel Shanti Palace, Ward No.3 Katra sanctioned by the respective Municipal Committee, Katra in the year 2003 and a copy of the terms & Conditions under which the map of the premise of hotel was passed by the Municipal Committee, Katra. 2. Copy of judgement given by the J&K Special Tribunal, Jammu in the case of Dy. Director Urban Local Bodies/M.C Katra Petitioner Vs. Raj Kumar Dubey S/o Baij Nath Dubey Respondent Ward No. 3 Katra With OWP no. 561/2012 & CMA no. 807/2012. 3. The information seeker also wanted to know about the present position in the above mentioned case.
The RTI application was transferred by Dy. Director, Urban Local Bodies to Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Committee, Katra on 17-02-2017 under section 6 (3) of the J&K RTI Act, 2009. As the appellant did not get the requisite information he filed 1st appeal on 10- 03-2017 with the Additional Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, Civil Secretariat, Jammu. At last the appellant approached the State Information Commission (SIC) with 2 nd appeal when his 1st appeal was also not disposed of by the First Appellate Authority (FAA).
In the 2nd appeal the appellant requested the SIC for provision of information sought by him through his basic RTI application. The 2nd appeal came up for hearing before the SIC on 31-08-2017. The hearing was attended by Pardeep Kumar, Deputy Secretary/First Appellate Authority (FAA), Housing & Urban Development Department, Civil Secretariat Srinagar / Jmamu . The PIO was heard through video conferencing from Jammu office of the SIC. The appellant remained absent despite due notice. The PIO informed that substantial information had already been provided to the appellant by him in three parts and the last part has also been despatched to him through registered post. The representative of the FAA submitted that FAA/Director Local Bodies, Jammu has not received the 1st appeal filed by the appellant. The hearing was adjourned with the directions to the PIO, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu to ensure that counter statement to the 2 nd appeal should reach within a week's time. The appellant was also given another opportunity to put forth his views/case before the SIC regarding receipt of information as claimed by the PIO and also regarding filing of 1st appeal before the FAA.
The 2nd appeal again came up for hearing before the SIC on 23-10-2017. The hearing was attended by Javed Rehman Under Secretary/PIO Housing & Urban Development Department, J&K, Civil Secretariat. Deputy Director Urban Local Bodies, Jammu and representative of the appellant were heard through video conferencing from Jammu office of the SIC. The appellant submitted that he has not received the full information as yet. Deputy Director Urban Local Bodies, Jammu stated that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Muncipal Committee, Katra has responded to the RTI application vide his letter dated 15-03-2017 stating therein that copy of the sanctioned building map of the Hotel Shanti Palace Ward No 3, Katra and the terms & Conditions of the plan as well as judgment of the Hon'ble Tribunal Court, Jammu were not available in their office records. After hearing the parties, the SIC in pursuance to section 16(9)(a)(iv) of the J&K RTI Act, 2009 directed the Director, Urban Local Bodies, Jammu as head of the Public Authority to upload the information pertaining to his/her office and subordinate offices on their official website in terms of section 4(1)(b) of the Act. She was further directed to inquire into the matter as to why the record pertaining to the information sought by the appellant is not available in the office of the Municipal Committee, Katra and submit a receipt to the SIC within 10 days. Sources say that till date the documents haven't been located by the MC Katra. |
