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| In Kishtwar, BDOs make mockery of RTI Act | | Info seekers forced to move from pillar to post | | Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
Kishtwar, May 6: Despite clear directions from the government and the Information Commissioner, various government departments in J&K are denying information sought under the RTI Act.
In such fresh case of delayed tactics played by the department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Institution, an information seeker was forced to seek the help of media in highlighting the issue as even higher authorities failed to act against these officers who take the RTI Act for a ride.
Abid Hussain Lone, son of Ghulam Rasool Lone, of Dehraie Marwah, Kishtwar, filed an RTI before Block Development Officer Marwah on 7-11-2017 seeking details regarding approved works plans of all the Panchayats of Block Marwah for 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017 & 2017-2018, details of works executed in the block under heads including MGNREGA, BRGF, MPLAD, CDF, SDRF, SBM along with photo copies, details of invoices under which the payments were made on account of material cost, on account of works executed, details of beneficiaries under IAY and payments made thereof. But even after the lapse of nearly four months the BDO Marwah did not provide him the requisite information.
Speaking to Early Times, Abid said he had also filed an appeal before the Assistant Commissioner Development Kishtwar on 8-12-2017 who on 30-12-2017 directed the BDO Marwah to provide the information to the applicant, but same was not provided to him till date. He said that he even approached the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar and IG CID claiming unheard public complaint pertaining to big fraud in Block Marwah with regard to non-execution of works on ground. But nothing was done either by the DC Kishtwar or IG CID.
Abid urged the RDD Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri to order a high level probe into the functioning of RDD in Kishtwar, particularly in blocks like Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan which was headed by a single BDO in last two years.
It is pertinent to mention that the RDD faces allegations of corruption with each passing day, particularly with regard to purchase of material under MGNREGA for various schemes undergoing in the department.
In similar cases two RTIs were filled in the office of the Assistant Commissioner Development Kishtwar one dated 17-5-2017 vide receipt No. 153 followed by another RTI on 29-5-2017 vide receipt No. 200. But in response to both of the RTIs no information was provided by the BDOs and simultaneously the first appeal was filled for both the RTIs in the office of ADC Kishtwar on 7-7-2017 and accordingly ACD Kishtwar again directed the concern BDO's through their representatives to provide the information to the information seeker.
The non-serious approach of the BDOs of Kishtwar could be gauged from the fact that no BDO among the 13 blocks of the district attended the hearing on RTI appeal called by the ACD Kishtwar in his office chamber and in response only BDO Kishtwar, Inderwal, Mughal Maidan provide the information to one RTI pertaining to plantation and two among the three BDOs replied that they had not carried any plantation in their respective blocks. They however did not provide any information regarding the purchase of tree guards in violation of the rules and regulation at behest of the former Director RDD and ACD Kishtwar.
ACD Kishtwar also issued another reminder to the BDOs vide letter No. ACDK/RTI/2017-18/1474-1488 dated 20-11-2017, but the result was same as all the BDOs continuously deflated the directions of ACD Kishtwar.
Even the appeal was also made to the office of Chief Information Commissioner through postal registry, but commission too fails to act and make the BDOs of Kishtwar accountable.
The information which was seek through the first RTI for the period 2016-17/2017-18 pertains to Block Wise details of plantation in Kishtwar, copy of advertisement published in newspapers inviting tenders, details of plants purchased and payments made thereof including the cost of each plant, copy of fitness certificate of the purchased plants by team of experts, details of payments drawn under MGNREGA for plantation of these plants on ground including tree guards used to protect these plants along with photos and videos of these plants in the form of CD.
Similarly the 2nd RTI was filled to seek information for the period 2016-17/2017-18 on account of quantity of Cement purchased, name of agency from which the cement was purchased, Supply Order No. along with date, quantity of cement purchased from open market, agency from which purchased, supply order No. along with date, authorizing authority who authorized to purchase the material from open market, Xerox copies of Stock Register 2014-15, 2015-2016, 2016-17 & 2017-18
In addition to above details, the information was also sought with regard to construction bridges during the period 2016-17/2017-18 block wise, name of bridge, quantity of steel used, specification of steel used in construction of bridges, agency which supplied the steel, name of committee members who verified the weight and importantly certified copies of certificates furnished by the committee members who verified the weight of steel Bridges in each block.
But no information was provided by any BDO of Kishtwar, raising the finger of suspicion over the works executed by the department. |
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