The State Information Commission (SIC) has directed Chief Engineer Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) office Kashmir to provide property statements of all its engineers especially Superintending Engineers (SEs), Executive Engineers (XEns) and Junior Engineers (JEs) to an information seeker who was denied the same.
Details available reveal that an RTI application dated 04-09-2018 was filed by an information seeker Dr Sheikh Ghulam Rasool with Public Information Officer (PIO)/I&FC Department, Srinagar seeking information regarding details about demarcation of the Jhelum from Pampore to Panzinara along with map, width of shole since two years along with location and area, details of works allotted to contractors, copies of work orders, details of dredging work area wise besides asset details of all engineers posed in Srinagar including SEs, XEns, AEEs, AEs and JEs along with property statements.
As the information was not provided by PIO in the office of Chief Engineer I&FC Kashmir, Dr Ghulam Rasool subsequently filed First Appeal with Chief Engineer, I&FC Department, Kashmir who is also the First Appellate Authority (FAA) alleging that the information sought by him through his RTI application has not been provided to him by the PIO. Subsequently, he filed second appeal before the SIC) as FAA also failed to reveal the actual details.
The appeal came up for hearing before SIC on 28.03.2019. Ahsan-ul-Haq, PIO/Executive Engineer in the office of Chief Engineer, I&FC Department, Kashmir attended the hearing. The appellant, Dr Ghulam Rasool, was represented by one Ruhab Latief Mir. PIO/Executive Engineer in the office of Chief Engineer, I&FC Department, Kashmir submitted that information sought by the appellant has been furnished by Executive Engineer, I&FC Srinagar vide communication dated 10.11.2018. The representative of the appellant submitted that the information furnished by the Executive Engineer, I&FC Srinagar was not only incomplete but the documents furnished by the said Executive Engineer were not legible. She told Commission that while going through the information furnished by Executive Engineer, I&FC Srinagar on 10.11.2018, it was found that no details have been furnished as regards demarcation of river Jhelum sought by the appellant in Point No.1 of the RTI request. Similarly, no details have been furnished in respect of Pont No.2.
SIC while disposing off the appeal directed to provide all the details including property statement of officers. SIC order 28.03.2019 reads:
"After hearing the parties, the hearing was adjourned with a direction to the PIO to furnish complete details about the demarcation of river Jhelum as was available with the I&FC Department, Kashmir, number of sholes removed from river Jehlum during last two years and neatly typed out details of works allotted to contractors from 2014 to 2018. As regards Point No.4, the PIO shall collect information about the details of assets from the Administrative Department so far as Gazetted Officers are concerned and also collect the details of JEs, which are supposed to be available in the office of Chief Engineer, I&FC Department, Kashmir, and provide the same to the appellant. Regarding inspection of works, the PIO was directed to indicate an appropriate date to the appellant for carrying out on spot inspection of works which are claimed to have been executed by the public authority.
The PIO was directed to provide all this information to the appellant within three weeks from the date of receipt of interim order."
