Info commission orders action against horticulture officials

ROHTAK: The Haryana State Information Commission has directed the Director, Horticulture to investigate the matter pertaining to the return of an RTI application and non-compliance of the commission’s orders and take appropriate action against the erring officials under the RTI Act, 2005.

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, July 3

The Haryana State Information Commission has directed the Director, Horticulture to investigate the matter pertaining to the return of an RTI application and non-compliance of the commission’s orders and take appropriate action against the erring officials under the RTI Act, 2005.

State Information Commissioner Major-Gen JS Kundu(retd) has also asked the Mission Director of the State Horticulture Development Agency to investigate the dereliction of duty on the part of information holders and take appropriate action against the erring official.

The State Information Commissioner had earlier issued bailable warrants against the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) of the Horticulture Department for reported failure to provide information sought under by a Rohtak-based activist and respond to a show-cause notice .

During the last hearing in the case on May 24, Ashok Kumar Kaushik, SPIO-cum-budget officer at the Directorate of Horticulture, Haryana, maintained that the said RTI application had been forwarded to the SPIO, National Horticulture Mission, Haryana State Horticulture Development Agency, as the matter pertained to polyhouses.

He submitted that the matter again came to his notice on April 12 when a news item appeared in The Tribune in this regard after which he contacted the SPIO, NHM, and requested him to furnish the requisite information.

Subhash, State Coordinator of the Haryana Soochna Adhikar Manch, had sought information on 10 points regarding the management of polyhouses in the state from the SPIO at the Directorate ofHorticulture, Haryana.

The RTI application was returned by the Postal Department as the office of the SPIO, Horticulture, refused to accept the application. Thereafter, Subhash made a complaint to the State Information Commission, Haryana .

Dept refuses to accept application

Subhash, State Coordinator of the Haryana Soochna Adhikar Manch, had sought information on 10 points regarding the management of polyhouses in the state from the SPIO at the Directorate ofHorticulture, Haryana.
The RTI application was returned by the Postal Department as the office of the SPIO, Horticulture, refused to accept the application. Thereafter, Subhash made a complaint to the SIC, Haryana
The State Information Commissioner had earlier issued bailable warrants against the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) of the Horticulture Department for reported failure to provide information sought by the Rohtak-based activist and respond to a show-cause notice.