The State Information Commission has issued orders that the Information Officer at the Commissionerate of Food Safety be levied a fine of ₹10,000, after finding that he has not been responding in a transparent manner with regard to the information queries raised by the public under the Right to Information Act.

The Information Officer at the office of the Commissioner of Food Safety, P. C. Sabu, has been asked to pay a fine of ₹10,000 and to inform the same in writing to the Commission Secretary, sources said.

From salary

Or else, the office head should ensure that the amount is deducted from Mr. Sabu’s salary and remitted under the appropriate head.

The Commission issued the orders in a case filed by P. T. Muraleedharan, president of Association for Legal Assistance and Research, a voluntary organisation.

Mr. Muraleedharan had, under RTI, sought information from the Information Officer at the office of the Commissioner of Food Safety, about the number of cases and the individuals and institutions against which the Food Safety Department had filed cases under the Food Safety Act during 2016-17 and 2017-18 .

The RTI application had been filed in June 2016. As he did not receive a satisfactory reply even after the stipulated period, Mr. Muraleedharan had filed a complaint with the Commission in September 2018.

The Commission, which held its hearing in November 2018, raised the question whether Mr. Sabu was deliberately trying not to give a proper reply to the queries raised under RTI Act.

Adulteration of food was an evil act which can affect the health and safety of people and those who commit such vile acts should be named openly in public interest.

Regrettable

It was regrettable that officials who should do this was trying to stymie this information, the Commission noted.