Respondent: due to a lot of transfer of officers taking place in the department & the office building being shifted to another premises, a lot of applications could not be answered within time - CIC: delay in replying to the appellant’s queries condoned
20 Jan, 2015Information sought: The appellant sought information regarding details of total amount allocated to Haryana Govt. during 2010-2012 for prevention/eradication of dengue, chikungunya and other diseases.
Relevant facts emerging during hearing:
Both parties are present. The appellant filed an RTI application on 09.07.2013, seeking the above information. CPIO/DGHS/MoH&FW transferred the RTI application to National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) vide letter dt. 18.07.2013. The FAA was filed before the Ministry, but the same was not disposed of. The appellant stated that till date no information has been received from either of the public authorities. The respondent from NVBDCP expressed regret and stated that due to a lot of transfer of officers taking place in the dept. and the office building being shifted to another premises, a lot of applications could not be answered within time, however, the efforts were and are still being made to remedy the same. The respondent further stated that the then CPIO has retired and no files were handed over to the CPIO as such, however, on receipt of notice of hearing from the Commission, a reply was sent to the appellant providing the information, as available on record. The respondent furnished an unconditional apology stating that RTI application of the appellant was received in their office on 23.07.2013 and in fact, a internal note was issued to send its reply on 28.07.2013, but the final reply could not be sent due to the above mentioned reasons.
A copy of the reply was given to the appellant and the respondent assured the Commission that if the appellant is not satisfied with the reply, they are ready to provide additional information in this regard.
Decision:
After hearing the parties and on perusal of record, the Commission condones the delay in replying to the appellant’s queries by CPIO, NVBDCP and directs him to provide the breakup of the budget, disease wise or as available on record, to the appellant, within 2 weeks of the receipt of this order, under intimation to the Commission. Further, the Commission takes note of the administrative situation which the respondents have stated and accordingly directs, Secretary, M/o Health & Family Welfare, to see that there is proper maintenance of the RTI Regime and that NVBDCP is equipped with proper infrastructure/resources so that such delay in dealing with RTI applications can be avoided in future. The appeal is disposed of accordingly.
(Yashovardhan Azad)
Information Commissioner
Citation: Shri Aseem Takyar v. National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) M/o Health& Family Welfare in F.No.CIC/YA/A/2014/000082