GH forum wants action against Horti Dept for RTI delay

TURA: The A’chik Youth Welfare Organisation (AYWO) has urged the State Chief Information Commissioner in Shillong to look into the delay in replying to an RTI by the office of the Horticulture Department in South Garo Hills.
After the report of the filing of the RTI was published in the media, the department had in a clarification denied having received any application from the organisation.
“If the department did not receive any application, how is it that we have the letter with the official seal of the UD Assistant and the signature of the one who is transferred, a fact which was acknowledge by the present dealing assistant when we met him on July 4,” the organisation said.
On the claim by the department that only the PIO can receive the application, the organisation said it had visited the office four or five times but the PIO was unavailable each time.
“We know the tight schedule of the PIO as the head of the department. But is it not the duty of the concerned authority to engage other officers who are stationed there at all times to receive the RTI,” it asked and quoted Section 5 Sub Section 4 which states, ‘The central public information officer or state public information officer, as the case may be may seek the assistance of any officer as he or she considers it necessary for proper discharge of his or her duties’.
Pointing out that the non-implementation of the provisions of the RTI Act in letter and spirit undermines the very law and act of Parliament, the organisation demanded that their RTI is accepted and reply furnished free of cost immediately, that payment of the mandated fee as prescribed as ‘penalty’ in Section 20 of the Act is made to the applicant and that an inquiry be initiated under Section 18 Para (A), (b) and (c) of RTI Act against the authority concerned.