In a case that could raise questions over the implementation of Right to Information Act in the state, officials of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) rural development scheme have denied information to an applicant in Budgam.
The case came to fore after one Sheikh Sartaj filed an RTIrequest with the office of executive engineer PMGSY, Jammu and Kashmir RuralRoad Development Authority (JKRRDA), division Budgam to seek information aboutwork on Poshker-Kandihama road.
The applicant in his request raised 14 queries about workbeing done on the road, and requested: “further, we will inspect, roadmaterial, quantity, etc till completion of the road under 2 (i) of J&K RTIAct 2009, so kindly provide valid certificate dates/authority letter forinspection at different stages during the progress of road”.
To this, the official reply was: “no such authority with PIU(project implementing unit”.
However, under Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act2009: “Right to Information means the right to information accessible under theAct which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includethe right to: i) inspection of work, documents or records; ii) taking notes,extracts or certified copies of documents or records iii) taking certifiedsamples of material…”.
When Greater Kashmir contacted executive engineer, PMGSYscheme Budgam, Basit Amin for his comment in the case, he said: “There musthave been a mistake. If there is any such provision in the RTI Act, we willdefinitely rectify it”.