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| SIC directs ACD Poonch to probe misuse of funds in Mendhar | | | Early Times Report
POONCH, July 1: The State Information Commission (SIC) has directed Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD) Poonch to conduct an inquiry into misuse of public funds by the Block Development Office Mendhar, as the officials of the department had allegedly allowed construction of a path for a private person that too through government land in village Gohlad of Mendhar block.
Details available with Early Times reveal that an RTI application was filed by one Mohammed Dehlar Khan, Advocate Munsif Court Mendhar, before local BDO seeking information about local developmental issues especially funds utilized under NREGA works.
Feeling aggrieved Dehlar Khan filed First Appeal before the ACD Poonch on 04.10.2018. Again feeling aggrieved appellant filed Second Appeal before the SIC on 01.02.2019 praying therein that requisite information may be provided to him and necessary action, as per the provisions of the Act, may be taken against the erring officers.
The appeal came up for hearing before the Commission on 30.05.2019. The hearing was attended by the appellant Dehlar Khan and the PIO/BDO, Mendhar and the representative of the FAA. The appellant submitted that the PIO has not furnished any information to him till date. The PIO submitted that most of the information sought by the appellant through his RTI application regarding execution of works at Panchayat Halqa Gohlad is available on the official website of the Rural Development Department. He further submitted that inspite of the availability of the information on the website, he has collected and copied the information and had brought the same along with him for being handed over to the appellant. The information submitted by the PIO was accordingly handed over to the appellant during the course of hearing. SIC after going through the said information noted that the PIO has furnished the information in respect of all the points from 22.06.2017 onwards. As regards the information sought by the appellant for the period prior to 22.06.2017, the PIO informed that the BDO office Mendhar was gutted in fire on 22.06.2017. The report of the fire incident has been lodged with Police Station, Mendhar. The PIO also filed a copy of the report of Police Station, Mendhar regarding FIR lodged in the matter. The police report substantiates the argument of the PIO that the information prior to 22.06.2017 has been destroyed in the fire incident. The available information after 22.06.2017 provided to the appellant during the course of hearing.
While going through the information so provided by the PIO, the appellant submitted that information relating to point No. 5 of the RTI application is incomplete and misleading. The grievance of the appellant was that a path has been laid in the premises of the BDO office for providing access to the house of one Habibullah in village Gohlad, Mendhar in the year 2015-16, when the Habibullah was the Sarpanch of the concerned Panchayat. The path runs through the block office land and tiles on it have been laid by the BDO office from block funds in order to facilitate access to the house of Habibullah. The appellant further submitted that this is misuse of not only the government funds but also the government property for personal use of one person. He accordingly wanted to know as to who has permitted construction of said path and laying of tiles. The PIO informed that he was not aware of any such permission. However, he admitted that the said path runs through the edge of the BDO office. Information sought by the appellant has been provided by the PIO to the extent, as it was available.
SIC's final order reads: "So far as the grievance of the appellant regarding construction of the path through the BDO's office property/premises for facilitating access to a private person is concerned, the same is a matter for consideration of the concerned head of the public authority at the district level, that is, ACD Poonch. The appeal is accordingly disposed of with a direction to the ACD Poonch to enquire into the matter of construction of path through the premises of BDO office, Mendhar for the benefit of a private person and take appropriate action. The ACD Poonch is also directed to complete the said enquiry within a period of one month from the date of receipt of this order and thereafter file a factual compliance report before the Commission within one week after the expiry of said stipulated period of one month. Copy of the decision be given free of cost to the parties." |
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