COIMBATORE: Right to information activists are flaying the city corporation for refusing to reply to
RTI applications even months after they are filed. In some cases,
despite money was deposited for photocopies,
information was not provided,
they say.
RTI activist
Daniel Jesudas had filed an application seeking the payment details of the accounts department of the city corporation from 2011 till 2017. He got a part of the information by 2016, but had to fight his way to get for the remaining years. “They refused to give the information for 2016 and 2017. After several appeals and repeated applications, I was asked to pay Rs 19,010 for 3,802 pages,” he said.
Daniel paid the amount on February 20. It has been more than a month, but he is yet to get the information. “The official had clearly mentioned the number of pages while calculating the amount. They could have easily provided the information on time if they had the intention. But, they want to try every means to harass us and make us run behind them,” said Daniel.
“The corporation officials are afraid that various violations and details about their corrupt practices will come to the fore if they provide the information. That is the main reason why they are delaying the process,” he added.
Other activists in the city said that it was not just the accounts department. “Whenever we file RTIs to the city corporation, the information is never provided,” said SP Thiyagarajan, another activist. He said that he had sought maintenance details of a park for which he was asked to pay Rs 4 for two pages of the pass book. “Even after I paid the money, they have not yet provided the information,” he said.
The accounts officer of the city corporation could not be reached for the comment.
The activists are now planning to move the court.
Representative image
