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BMC worst offender under RTI Viju B | TNN Mumbai: When Mumbaikar Divesh Shah sought the records of Panchratna building, the diamond merchant's enclave near Opera House which has been mired in controversy, he got three different replies from the BMC for the same query. But Shah's is no isolated case-it's a classic instance of the travails average citizens are put through when they try to access government records with the help of the Right To Information (RTI) act. A year after the act came into effect, RTI applicants are finding it increasingly tough to get information from government and quasi-government agencies in the state. Several departments appear to have perfected a system to stonewall queries, delay applicants by quibbling over trivial details, or simply divert the inquiry into a maze of government procedures. A detailed analysis of the number of appeals disposed of after final hearing at the Maharashtra information commissioner's office over the last one year reveals that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), followed by the education and home departments, top the list of agencies refusing to provide accurate records or denying information altogether in many cases. Such appeals are usually the outcome of a multi-stage process in which applicants first approach the public information officer. In case they are not satisfied with the response, the help of an appellate authority can be sought. Eventually, the petitioner can knock on the doors of the information commissioner by filing an appeal. PATHETIC RECORD IN STATE Students using RTI to fight corruption Mumbai: The BMC holds the dubious record under the RTI. While the total number of finalstage appeals to civic corporations in the state stands at 160, the BMC has sought to fend off the maximum number of applicants. "We got 120 appeals against the BMC,'' state information commissioner Suresh Joshi told TOI. A majority of queries which the BMC was reluctant to answer relate to lack of civic and infrastructure amenities. "The number of appeals against the BMC is high. Twelve per cent of the state's population comes under Mumbai civic limits,'' says Joshi. The other civic orporations put together account for 40 appeals. Along with the civic corporation, the state's education department has the dubious distinction of having the second-highest number of appeals-82-filed against its officers. "There are a number of education institutions regulated by charitable trusts and NGOs which are not willing to open up to scrutiny. Recently I imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 against an educational trust for not providing information,'' says Joshi. The number of appeals also reflects the manner in which students are using the RTI Act as an instrument to fight corruption during admissions. "Many aided schools and colleges in the city don't adhere to proper guidelines and meritorious students don't get admission,'' says Avinash Kulkarni, an applicant who filed an RTI query after his son failed to get admission to a convent school. The state home department with 60 appeals, and the revenue department with 38, are in third and fourth place in the list of errant agencies. Activists say the police department does not provide copies of FIRs and Status of Action Taken Reports on pending cases. Shailesh Gandhi, for instance, had asked for the number of recommendations that the home department got from politicians for transfers of police officers. "The appellate authority refused to give the information. I had to appeal to the information commission,'' he said. Residents have also filed appeals on various redevelopment schemes which are facing roadblocks. "Under RTI, I found there was a proposal going around the department by a private builder to acquire 2,000 acres of development zones and salt pans. When I questioned the proposal, I was told it was dropped,'' says Gandhi. URL : http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDA3LzAxLzE4I0FyMDAxMDQ=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom |
| Also see : Anti-Corruption, Government Acts(By Topic), Government Schemes |
