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Submitted by Divya Jyoti Jaipuriar
RTI impact: CMC taken to task
6 Jul 2008, 0214 hrs IST,TNN
PANAJI: The Goa Information Commission has ordered the Cuncolim Municipal Council (CMC) to pay compensation amounting to Rs 1000 to Jose Cruz Gomes of Cuncolim for its failure to furnish him with proper information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and thus causing inconvenience to him.
The Commission also ordered the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA), Mr Daulat Havaldar, to inspect the office of the Chief Officer of the CMC and recover the original charge reports handed over at the time of upgradation of the Cuncolim panchayat to that of the CMC.
The order, signed by the State’s Chief Information Commissioner A Venkataratnam and Information Commissioner G G Kambli said, “He (Havaldar) should inspect the office and furnish a detailed report within one month by way of an affidavit.”
The order follows a second appeal by Gomes to the Commission. Gomes had first filed his first appeal before Havaldar, who is the First Appellate Authority of the CMC. Gomes said that although the DMA in January 2008, ordered the Chief Officer to furnish him with the requested data within ten days, the Chief Officer had not complied.
Gomes had initially applied to the Chief Officer asking for information regarding house number 67-III in Cuncolim. His request was made on three counts, regarding the subdivision of the said house into five parts namely, 67-I, 67-II, 67-III, 67-A and finally 67-B.
Gomes wanted to know on what basis these sub-divisions were carried out and also the period since when this became effective.
The Chief Officer, through his replies dated November 2, 2007 and November 6, 2007 furnished the names of the occupants in whose names the houses are assessed and the most period upto which house tax was paid. However, the resolutions approving the sub-divisions of the houses for tax purposes were not furnished to Gomes with the justification that these were not found in the municipal records.
The Chief Officer pleaded that the changes effected were prior to the upgradation of the panchayat into a municipal council and the panchayat records are not available.
The Goa Information Commission refused to accept this contention. It therefore ordered the DMA to inspect the office of the Cuncolim chief officer and to submit a report within a month.
The Commission also acceded to the prayer of Gomes that he be compensated for the inconvenience caused to him and ordered the council to pay him Rs 1000.
Submitted by Kevin A
I haven't used the RTI, but just prior to the enactment of the RTI we fought our way through the system, the corrupt Panchayat in South Goa who was interesting in passing papers only for money. It took us two years without paying a single rupee in bribe buts lots of running around to get the job done. In spite of all the trouble, today we are proud of not agreeing to corruption. Why should we pay bribes. All our paperwork was in order, there was not a single ground for the Sarpanch delaying and refusing to sign. The RTI act is powerful now - If enacted earlier, it would have taken us a few days rather than two years.Come on Goa, fight corruption! If the people act together, we can go forward as a country and not be held back by a few corrupt officials.