Sunday, November 7, 2021

Disciplinary proceedings recommended against PIO by Odisha Information Commission

 

Disciplinary proceedings recommended against the PIO by Odisha Information Commission

On 27.7.21, Sri Sunil Kumar Mishra, Odisha State  Chief Information Commissioner  recommended  disciplinary proceedings  against   Ashis Kumar Mishra , the ex- PIO of the office  of the Executive Engineer, Drainage Division, Puri, presently  working  in the office  of the Executive Engineer, Drainage Division of Jagatsingh Pur    to  the Engineer-in-Chief , Water Resources, Government of Odisha  under  section 20(2) of the RTI Act.

 On dated  9.11.16,  Pradip Pradhan  had  submitted RTI Application  to the PIO,    Office of Water Resources , Bhubaneswar seeking  information  about details of Construction and Repair of Drainage Canal in Delang, Kanas, Nimapara, Satyabadi  and Gop block of Puri  district. On 1.12.16, the PIO, transferred RTI application to the PIO, office of Chief Engineer, Drainage, Gandarpur, Cuttack-3 to provide information. On 29.11.16 and 14.12.26, the PIO, office of Chief Engineer, Drainage, Gandarpur, Cuttack-3 transferred RTI application twice to the PIO, office of Executive Engineer, Drainage Division, Puri to provide me the information. Finding denial of information,   First Appeal dt. 8.3.17 was filed   before First Appellate Authority, office of the Executive Engineer, Drainage Division, Puri seeking direction to the PIO to supply the information. The FAA neither heard my case nor directed the PIO to provide me the information.

 On 22.5.2017,  Second Appeal was    filed  in the  office  of Odisha Information Commission  to hear the  case and  direct the PIO to supply  the  information and  impose penalty  on PIO  under  section 20  of the RTI Act.

 The   Second Appeal Case  was  registered  as  SA No. 1266/2017. The Hearing  of the  SA case  started in 2019   by   Chief Information Commissioner  and  ended  on 27.7.21.  The  Commission heard  the  six  times  and   directed  the  PIO Sri Asish Kumar Mishra  to file  reply to  show-cause  notice  issued  to  him. Finding  no  response  from  him, the  Commission  recommended  disciplinary  proceedings  against  Sri Asish Kumar  Mishra, PIO  to the EIC, Water Resources, Government  of Odisha  and  submit  compliance  report  within 3 months  of the receipt of the  order.

 It deserves to mention here that earlier in two cases i.e, S.A. Case no. 1724/2014 ( disposed on 8.12.2017)  and  Compliant Case No. 424/2016  ( disposed  on 22.6.20) , the  Commission had imposed  highest penalty  Rs. 25,000.00  each  on the  said PIO  for  denial of  information under RTI Act.

 

Pradip Pradhan

RTI Activist

M-9937843482

Date-4.11.21

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