Dismal
performance in respect of hearing and disposal of cases by Odisha Disable
Commission - A Report
Dear friends
The State Government has set up
the office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities under section 60 of the Persons with
Disabilities ( Equal Opportunities,
Protection of Rights & Full Protection ) Act, 1995 . The Commission has the
mandate to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure
them justice. Since 2015, Dr. Minati Behera has been working State Disable Commissioner.
As part of our activities for monitoring
of performance of different public
authorities, RTI Application was filed
to the PIO, office of State Disable Commissioner seeking information
about activities of the office of the
Commission, cases head, disposed and pending
and budget, salary, allowances of
the Commissioner. On 19.6.18, the PIO has supplied
the information which is
presented below with critical comments.
1.
As the primary of the Commission is to dispose
the complaint cases and render
justice to the victims, the
information about number of cases
heard and disposed by the Commission was
sought for. The PIO has supplied the information.
Number of cases heard by Odisha Commissioner
for persons with disabilities
|
Year
|
2015
|
2016
|
2017
|
2018
|
|
January
|
|
17
|
3
|
|
|
February
|
|
13
|
3
|
3
|
|
March
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
April
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
May
|
2
|
|
4
|
|
|
June
|
2
|
21
|
8
|
|
|
July
|
11
|
46
|
1
|
|
|
August
|
|
40
|
10
|
|
|
September
|
28
|
4
|
8
|
|
|
October
|
18
|
2
|
7
|
|
|
November
|
10
|
6
|
5
|
|
|
December
|
5
|
6
|
67
|
|
Comments
·
The Disable Commission has heard total number of 364 cases within 3 years ( March, 2015 to Feb. 2018). It means
in an average, the Commission hears only 10 number of cases per month which
is much lower to other Commissioners like Odisha Information Commission
which conducts hearing of 250 cases in a month.
·
Within 3 years of her performance, the
disable Commission has disposed 1837 cases . It means, the Commission has disposed average 610 cases
in a year. But Odisha Information Commission ( a single Commissioner)
disposes 900
cases per year.
·
Out of 1837 cases
disposed by Disable Commission, 1473 cases have been disposed with just speaking order to concerned authorities without hearing of the case which
is very easy technique followed
to reduce pendency of the case.
·
But still, there
are 733 complaint cases pending in the
disable Commission for disposal.
·
How the complainants
have got the justice from speaking
order, that is the biggest question mark
.
2.
Voluntary disclosure of information under
RTI Act ?
Though implementation of RTI Act has completed 13
years, the Disable Commission has not
yet proactively disclosed information under section 4(1) (b) of the RTI Act. Even the PIO does not understand
what is suo moto disclosure of information mandated under RTI Act. The PIO has not provided any information. The first appeal has been
filed . No document about
order of the Commission is available
in the website which remains
secretive and elusive.
3.
Salary and
allowances of Disable Commissioner
Within
3 years , the Disable Commissioner has
received Rs.15,94,498.00 towards
honorarium and house rent .
·
Honorarium Rs.
25,000/- per month received upto March 2016 ( 2015-16).
·
Honorarium Rs.
50,000.00 per month and House rent Rs. 10,000.00 PM , total 60,000.00 upto
March 2017.
·
Honorarium Rs.
50,000.00 per month and House rent Rs. 10,000.00 PM , total 60,000.00 upto
March 2018 ( 2017-18).
4.
The Commission has
not awarded compensation to any
victim.
( Hard copy
of the document is available with me and can be supplied on request)
Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date- 13.7.18
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