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| Info about NREGA works, SBM bathrooms | | BDO in Doda sits on RTI plea for 1-yr | | Early Times Report
DODA, June 10: Inspite of the fact that State Information Commission (SIC) continues to take officials of Rural Development Department to task, the officers at grass-root level continue to take information seekers for granted and deny them the information sought under the Right to Information Act (RTI).
In a fresh case, a BDO office Kahara has sat on an RTI application for last more than a year, and inspite of directions from the seniors, the BDO office least bothered to share details about developmental works to an RTI applicant.
Details available with Early Times reveal that an information seeker namely Farooq Ahmad, a resident of Gogara block, Kahara district Doda, filed an application under J&K RTI Act 2009 on May 23, 2018 before the BDO Kahara block of Doda. Early Times is in possession of the copy of the said RTI application. The information seeker sought details of works executed under NREGA and job cards issued in the Panchayat Malanoo along with photographs of the job card holders. Details of Geo tagging of works was also sought along with details of bathrooms constructed under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and cement supplied to Malanoo Panchayat.
The information was to be provided within 30 days. After expiry of 30 days Farooq filed first appeal before ACD Doda on July 30, 2018. Vide letter No: ACDD /RTI/2018 -19 /8697-99, dated August 7, 2018, the ACD directed the concerned BDO to reveal details to the information seeker, but the BDO again denied the information.
On October 6, 2018, Farooq addressed a letter to DC Doda and explained everything in detail. DC Doda directed ACD to take immediate action. Vide letter No: ACDD/RTI/Appeal /2018 -19/17168-70, dated 22/11/2018 ADC Doda directed the BDO to provide all the details to the information seeker. The ACD Doda again gave clear direction to the BDO vide his order dated 22.11.2018 . The said order reads: "Whereas the appeal is disposed off with the directions to the BDO (PIO) Kahara block to provide the requisite information permissible under law/rules to the appellant within a week's time. Positively under an intimation to this office. Moreover you are also warned to be careful while dealing with RTI cases."
Before the ACD passed an order, BDO Kahara and the appellant were asked to be present in ACD office Doda on 13.11.2018. Farooq attended the hearing but the BDO chose to remain absent. Finally, Farooq sought intervention of SIC by filing second appeal. The matter was listed at SIC Jammu on 14.05.2019, and Farooq was asked to attend the hearing at Jammu by SIC staff while as he could have been asked to attend the same through video conferencing as well. Farooq, a poor villager, had to spent more than Rs 2000 to travel all the way from Doda to Jammu. Inspite of SIC's intervention, the BDO has not revealed the details till date.
"I appeal Commissioner SIC, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, to have a mercy on poor person like me. I was asked to travel all the way from remote village of Doda to Jammu by officials of the Commission, while as I could have been heard through video conferencing from NIC center Doda as is done in many cases. I travelled all the way to Jammu and almost 25 days have passed, the BDO is still not providing me the required information. I want the BDO concerned should be shunted and penalized." |
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