IMPHAL, Feb 17: Several RTI applicants in Senapati district have allegedly charged the Deputy Commissioner Nidhi Kesharwani for mentally harassing the people by asking them to deposit huge amounts of money as fees which is to be incurred for furnishing information through RTI Act by way of DD in favour of DC/Chairman, DRDA Senapati district.
According to a reliable source, RR Veishole Pou of Phyapou, Tapphou village and Kaba Ropfiinamai of Old Road Senapati bazaar had applied for obtaining information since August 2 last years under the Section 6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005 to the DC/DPO Senapati District, seeking certain information of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme MGNREGS and IAY for Senapati for the year 2008-2011. However, to their dismay, the concern authority corresponded with them only to deposit Rs.80.000 that also in the form of Demand Draft in favour of DC/Chairman, DRDA Senapati. Besides, the DC/chairman DRDA also paid no heed to the directives of the higher officer based on their first appeal, the source added.
The source further mentioned here that, one need to study the reason why DC/DPO Senapati directed them to deposit the amount by DD only in favour of DC/Chairman DRDA Senapati and why not DPC Senapati as they sought the information of MGNREGS too. It is also mentioned that, according to the act the fee or cost of information can also pay in the form of cash. However, even after their request, the concern authority has remain silent and directed them again only by DD.
The source further charged that, the concern authority has maintained maximum gap to intimate them. The authorities mailed them from Imphal instead of mailing from Senapati Post office itself. Sometime they received the letter after 20 days only by hand post through a staff. And gap goes as the date of first application is on August 2 last year, however intimation letter No. DRDA (Spt) 2/RTI/2010 of August 4 last year was received on August 16. Besides application request to reduce cost of information is on August 18 last year, but the authority No. DRDA (Spt) 2/RTI/2010/84 intimation letter of 25 Sept. 2010 was handed over to them by one of its staff on October 4 last after a gap of one and half month. When RD & PR office directed the DC/DPC to furnish the required information after their first appeal, the authority in the district took exactly one month to intimate them, the source added.
On the other hand the source further charged that, all these acts shows the hidden game of the DC played to them in particular and to the people of the Senapati in general. The DC/DPC Senapati not only used delaying tactics but also mentally harassed them and toyed with them asking to deposit a huge sum of cash (Rs. 80,000) which is a huge amount for a layman and thus, one need to justify whether it is reasonable to charge them that Rs. 30,000 for computer typing, Rs. 8,000 for Xeroxing Rs. 42,000 for TA/DA for collection or required documents from Blocks, the source added.
The source has further mentioned that the DC Senapati should furnish the informations seeked by them if the DC is not corrupt and is faithful to her duties.
