"The protection of RTI activists is not in the hands of the Information Commission.Awareness of RTI Act is a big reason of the increasing pendency." asserts State Information Commissioner (SIC) Rajkeshvar Singh of UPSIC

"The protection of RTI activists is not in the hands of the
Information Commission.Awareness of RTI Act is a big reason of the
increasing pendency." asserts State Information Commissioner (SIC)
Rajkeshvar Singh of UPSIC

Read full news below :-

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/55-info-officers-to-be-fined-Rs-25000-each/articleshow/45243832.cms

55 info officers to be fined Rs 25,000 each

TNN | Nov 22, 2014, 10.55 PM IST

Pankul Sharma | TNN

MEERUT: State Information Commissioner (SIC)Rajkeshvar Singh, on a
visit to Meerut on Saturday, instructed the district magistrate to
penalise 55 information officers from different departments with a
penalty of Rs 25,000 each. The SIC was in the city to address a
meeting of officials on the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005.

On getting to know that there were as many as 832 RTI applications
pending in Meerut, the official said those responsible for the large
pendency - and Meerut has the dubious distinction of being the
district with the largest pendency of RTI applications in the state -
should be penalised. Chaudhary Charan Singh University accounts for
116 of the pending RTI applications.

The SIC asked the district magistrate to recover Rs 13,75,000 from the
55 information officers who showed laxity in responding to RTI
applicants. He directed all departments to dispose of pending
applications in a period of one or two months.

Addressing the media, he said, "Awareness of RTI Act is a big reason
of the increasing pendency. Information officers are not intentionally
showing laxity. This is the system. It is not so perfect. Under the
law, information must be provided in 30 days."

The SIC explained that departments that have the largest public
dealings also have the highest pendency. "Following the CCSU, the
revenue department is at second position, having 100 pending cases.
Power Corporation and Meerut Development Authority have 60 and 54
pending applications respectively."

Asked about threats to RTI applicants, the SIC said, "The protection
of RTI activists is not in the hands of the Information Commission. It
is the responsibility of police and district administration."

He urged citizens to refrain from misusing the RTI Act. If bizarre
information is sought, it takes up time and energy that could be
better spent elsewhere, he said. "Information on a private person
cannot be provided. Information that affects business interests is
also not given. There is a provision to consider the needs of
secrecy," the SIC explained.

A special hearing of RTI applications is scheduled in Lucknow on
December 27. RTI applications that pertain to the Meerut Development
Authority and the city municipal corporation will be heard on January
17 next year.

--
-Sincerely Yours,

Urvashi Sharma
Secretary - YAISHWARYAJ SEVA SANSTHAAN
101,Narayan Tower, Opposite F block Idgah
Rajajipuram,Lucknow-226017,Uttar Pradesh,India
Contact 9369613513
Right to Information Helpline 8081898081
Helpline Against Corruption 9455553838


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