Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Two weeks, 35 questions at KMC’s RTI cell
Express News Service

Kolkata, March 12: TWO Weeks after the first Right To Information (RTI) cell was set up in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) premises, the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) of KMC claims that the response of the people has been phenomenal.

“We have received 35 applications till date, of which, 15 are queries regarding buildings and constructions. The number of questions on assessment and licence are eight and four respectively,” said Pashupati Barik, the SPIO of KMC and the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (personnel).

According to Barik, those who wish to make use of their RTI, need to do so through written applications.

“A Rs 10 court fee stamp must be attached to the application. The application can be written on a white sheet of paper and then addressed to the SPIO of KMC along with the name, address and contact number of the sender. All the 35 applications received so far are still being processed,” he added.

“The RTI act states that response to an application should be made within a month’s time and we are trying to do exactly that. Ideally, we should transfer applications to the respective departments within five days of receiving them. These departments in turn need to prepare a response within 10 days. We are still trying to quicken the the process,” said Barik.

The RTI cell will not only help the common man get the right information but will also make the KMC’s dealings more transparent.

“Transparency and impartiality is what we are aiming for through the RTI cell,” said Barik.

But although officers at the RTI cell of KMC want to provide people with information, they also feel there should be a limit to it.

“We cannot provide private information. For example, if a person wants to know whether his neighbour has a trade licence, because according to him the trade is illegal, we can provide the information. But we cannot disclose what trade the man is involved in,” added Barik.

Published in Kolkata Newsline, Indian Express, March 13 2006

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