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| SPCB still charging Rs 50 as RTI fee | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 12: Almost six years passed since J&K RTI Rules 2010 were repealed. As per the 2012 RTI rules, application fee has been fixed at Rs 10 per RTI application, but the J&K State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) is still asking RTI applicants to pay Rs 50, which means they are following the obsolete RTI rules.
Details available with Early Times reveal that office of SPCB has asked an information seeker to pay Rs 50 instead of Rs 10 as RTI application fee. The officer in-charge seemed adamant to charge Rs 50 and showed information seeker an RTI application format which was declared null and void 6 years back. RTI Movement has appealed Chief Information Commissioner to take a strong notice of this issue so that action is taken against the concerned officials.
The SPCB )has not only been found to be violating the RTI rules, but its officers have even failed to implement the necessary Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM Rules) of 2016 in Jammu & Kashmir. It is not only civic bodies like Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) or Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) and other local bodies responsible to implement these rules but overall responsibility lies with the SPCB.
The SPCB is mandated under the SWM Rules of 2016 to enforce the waste management rules. But as per reliable reports SPCB has miserably failed to implement these rules in J&K and not even a one enforcement squad has been constituted by SPCB who has taken action against any municipal body for violating SWM Rules 2016.
As reported already officials of SPCB are not at all bothered to enforce SWM Rules 2016 and the officials gave a damn to management of solid waste in J&K. As per SWM Rules 2016, all the Pollution Control Boards across India which includes have to enforce the rules.
The SPCB as per Solid Waste Rules-2016 ( Rule No 16) has to work closely with civic bodies like SMC, JMC, Municipal Committees and Councils in their respective jurisdiction and review implementation of these rules at least twice a year in close coordination with concerned Directorate of Urban Local Bodies/Commissioner SMC/ JMC or Commissioner Secretary-in-charge of State Urban Development Department. SPCB has to monitor environmental standards and adherence to conditions as specified under the Schedule I and Schedule II for waste processing and disposal sites and to examine the proposal for authorization and make such inquiries as deemed fit, after the receipt of the application for the same in Form I from the Municipal body or any other agency authorized by the municipal body.
Pertinent to mention that SPCB has been made a party by Environmental Policy Group in its PIL which has been filed in the J&K High Court. The HC Division bench has already send a notice to SPCB in this regard and has been directed to file a response by May 15th.
"Like SWM Rules SPCB is also violating RTI Rules and we appeal CIC to direct the Chief Secretary and Commissioner Secretary Forests & Environment to conduct training programmes on RTI for the officers of SPCB," said Farooq Kuthoo, spokesman of J&K RTI Movement. |
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