MAPUSA
The Goa State Information Commission has said that the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has repeatedly failed to furnish information under the Right to Information Act (RTI) to the citizens and directed the Director of Urban Development to appoint a competent officer as the PIO of MMC.
State Information Commissioner (SIC) Sanjay Dhavlikar has also ordered initiation of penalty proceedings against the PIO.
Further the SIC has directed the director of Urban Development to depute the PIOs and APIOs of MMC for training on the right to information.
“The PIO Rajendra Bagkar has not been able to deliver his duties and responsibilities as PIO of MMC. Some of the PIOs of MMC have constantly failed to deliver their duty as PIO which has been causing a lot of inconvenience to the citizens seeking information under the Act,” Dhavlikar said.
Mapusa-based activist, Jawaharlal Shetye has sought certain information through RTI and when the PIO failed to furnish the info within stipulated time he appealed to the first appellate authority (FAA). Despite the FAA directing him to furnish the information within 15 days, the PIO failed to comply with the order forcing Shetye to appeal before the GSIC.
“All the information is available in the office but the PIO under one pretext or the other has been trying to evade disclosure. The PIO is a habitual offender under the Act,” Shetye said.
The GSIC in its order said that the PIO appeared before the commission regularly and also gave an undertaking to furnish the information but failed to do so.
“Inspite of giving sufficient opportunities, the PIO has continuously failed to deliver by not furnishing complete information. The Commission concludes that the PIO is guilty of not furnishing the complete information to the appellant, thus Section 20 of the Act is required to be invoked against him for initiating penal action for his failure to comply with the provisions of the Act and also failure to adhere with the direction of the appellate authorities,” the SIC said.
“Similarly, the Commission finds that the Directorate of Urban Development is required to address the issue of questionable competency of its officers designated as PIOs unde the Act. The department needs to ensure that competent and efficient officers with unquestionable integrity are required to be appointed as PIOs in every public authority under its jurisdiction,” Dhavlikar said.
The PIO has been directed to furnish the information to the appellant within 20 days of the order.
The SIC has also directed the Registrar of GSIC to issue show cause to the PIO as to why penalty as provided under Section 20 (1) and 20 (2) of the Act should not be imposed against him.
The PIO has been asked to remain present before the Commission on September 25 along with his reply to the show cause notice.
