RTI applicants charged Rs 1 lakh, says KSU

NONGSTOIN: The Khasi Students’ Union on Tuesday alleged that the Public Information Officer of Nongstoin C&RD Block demanded Rs 1 lakh from three RTI applicants who filed an application at the office of the BDO on the MGNREGS work at Marskuin village.
Speaking at a press conference here, general secretary Franklin Syiemiong said the union received a complaint stating that the PIO demanded a huge amount of money without producing the documents related to the RTI application.
The RTI was filed by three youths of Marskuin — Toning Mawlieh, Slanding Lyngkhoi and Khrawbor Nongkhar — in January as the MGNREGS work was unsatisfactory.
However, the three men received a letter from the BDO office on January 24 citing that Rs 1 lakh will be required for registration of the case.  The youths then approached the BDO to find out why photocopies of the documents would cost so much.
The KSU members alleged that the PIO insulted them.
Taking up the matter, the KSU Nongstoin circle visited the BDO office and termed the demand as “unfair and immoral”.
The KSU demanded the office to produce all the original documents related to the RTI to estimate the cost of photocopies but was shocked to find out that the total cost of the documents is Rs 2,262.
Franklin later told the media that this kind of practice by the BDO’s office should be discontinued.
Clement P Mawkon, BDO of Nongstoin Block, said, “That RTI was asked during the election and all workers were busy that time so the workers just said that it would be done and so did I and it was not precise and the proper calculation will be done later.”