Whispers Forum

The PIO, Airport Authority of India (AAI), informed the Complainant that the process of land acquisition is handled by the concerned State Government, hence the desired information is not available. The AAI did not enclose the required letter alongwith the PIO’s reply and this mistake was not rectified despite a reminder. On receipt of the hearing notice from the CIC, the desired document has been served upon the Complainant. The CIC held that there has been inadvertence on the part of the AAI, but it does not seem to be a case of malafide denial of information. The CIC cautioned the AAI to exercise utmost diligence while answering Applicants under the RTI Act, in future and send complete and accurate information, failing which such lapse will not be treated with leniency.
Comments
The PIO must exercise due caution while replying to the RTI applicants and ensure that the copies of the required documents are enclosed.
Citation: Shri Abhay Kumar Singh v. Airports Authority of India in Complaint No. CIC/AAOIN/C/2019/162954, Date of Decision: 18.08.2021
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

I agree with Anshumali (WIC, Sept 1).The US failed to see through the Talibans gameplan after ruling Afghanistan for two decades. Return of Talibans to power after 20-year proxy rule by the US and its NATO allies, is a collective failure of their foreign policies.
The elected Ashraf Ghani government was kept aloof by the US and its allies while carrying on negotiations with the Talibans. On the contrary, the Ashraf Ghani regime was forced by the US to hold talks with the Taliban for a power-sharing arrangement along with the release of 7,000 Talibani prisoners (read as ferocious fighters) captured in the past. This merely reinforced the nuisance value of the Talibans.
The situation in India’s neighbourhood is explosive, almost changing by the hour, ready to reach the flashpoint anytime. Pakistan seems determined to create mischief to add to India’s discomfiture. The turmoil has not ended. Situation in Jammu & Kashmir, would remain explosive due to infiltration of Pakistan- sponsored terrorists. Peace in India, Pakistan, Iran, Central Asian republics will be adversely impacted leading to a change in geo-political situation in the region.
The USSR, China is waiting to accord recognition to the ‘rogue’ regime that is not democratically elected but took over Afghanistan by force. The USSR and China will be competing with each other in capturing the mineral resources like Lithium, gold, iron, copper, lead, zinc among others.
India is in a catch-22 situation. It cannot and should not trust the Talibans, let alone accord recognition to the new regime, which will be tilted towards Russia, China and Pakistan.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

The Afghanistan images in media, the gut-wrenching stories of death, devastation, despair and a distress sense of helplessness evoke an eerie feeling of déjà vu — one has been down this road 20 years ago. The US’ Afghanistan withdrawal is also an unforced foreign policy error of possibly historic proportions that could have been avoided had the US kept a small permanent military presence in the country so long as the Taliban and Al Qaeda remained active. It’s a blunder that will most harshly be felt by the Afghan people and U.S. counterterrorism interests as also several other countries including India.
Anshumali