Pathankot drug inspector told to pay Rs 15,000 for ‘stonewalling’ in Punjab

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab State Information Commission (PSIC) has imposed a penalty of Rs 15,000 on a drug inspector-cum-public information officer (PIO) in Pathankot for “stonewalling” queries regarding an inspection conducted by the narcotics wing, Pathankot, on the pretext of slight difference in the name of a chemist mentioned in the application .
The applicant had sought the information under the RTI Act from the SSP office, but the application was subsequently transferred to the drug inspector. He then filed the first appeal with the civil surgeon.
During the hearing, the PIO pointed out that the appellant had mentioned M/S Puri Medical Store in the RTI application and there was no medical store by this name, but there was a one named Puri Medicos.
The CIC directed the PIO to provide information related to M/s Puri Medicos by January 30.The CIC, however, later found that the display board did mention Puri Medical Store.During the hearing on February 15, the respondent said the information sought by the appellant actually pertianed to M/s Roop Lal Puri and Sons and not Puri Medical Store.
The March 6 order of the State Information Commissioner Khushwant Singh said, "This issue of correct name had been settled earlier and this bench had ordered that information be provided. Coming back to the commission with the same alibi clearly established that the information was being stonewalled in spite of the commission's orders. The PIO was asked as to why the penalty should not be imposed."
The PSIC found the PIO guilty of not providing the information on time and "stalling it on frivolous pretext, prima facie to protect a medical shop by the name of Puri Medical Store on its display boards (Puri Medicos in the record)" and a penalty of Rs 15,000 was imposed on the drug inspector-cum-PIO, Pathankot.