15 Public Information Officers penalized by SIC so far

AMEET OBEROI
GANGTOK, 12 June: The State Information Commission [SIC] for Right to Information [RTI] has, since the year 2006, penalized fifteen State Public Information Officers [SPIOs] of various departments for delaying and detaining information sought under RTI within the stipulated time of one month. The highest penalty imposed by the Commission so far is of Rs. 24,750 [the highest penalty the Commission can impose is of upto Rs. 25,000].
Speaking to NOW! today, Chief Information Commissioner [CIC] Nari Tshering confirmed that the SIC has imposed penalties on 15 SPIOs for non-issuance of correct, in-complete information sought through RTI within the stipulated time frame of one month from the time of complaint received. The penalized SPIOs were provided with additional time as well by the SIC but failed to provide correct and complete information.
Since 2006 SIC has received 266 complaints till date and all have been disposed, while the 59 existing cases are all appeal cases, it is informed. He mentioned that no cases are pending and the result met so far by the Commission is satisfactory as the judgment provided is “of the highest level”.
The CIC added that to make RTI more effective and successful, the Commission has been carrying out mass awareness drives across the state for quite some time now and reached even the remotest villages with the aim to generate wider awareness among the people about their Right To Information.
“The RTI Act is the people’s Act so it’s important for every citizen of the Indian Union to know about their rights and its uses,” he stressed.
The CIC further informed that in the year 2011-12 the Commission conducted awareness camps in almost all districts covering areas like Dzongu, Chungthang, Dikchu in North to Ravangla, Sombaria, Kewzing in South District, Rinchenpong in West and Ranka, Parakha and Regu in the East. On an average the Commission conducts 45 to 55 awareness camps per year, but this year the CIC stated that the Commission plans to conduct even more camps covering the entire state.
He further informed that the Commission also plans to conduct awareness camps in the most remote areas like Gnathang Machong in East, Lingee Sokpay in South and Lachen and Lachung in North as well.