Whispers Forum

Yes, retirement age should be increased to 62
Prabhat Singh Jamwal
GWMC officials occupy private land illegally !
Dear Sir: I am a US citizen and PIO card holder. I have retired from US federal department of defence last year and trying my best to settle in Hyderabad. However, I have some issues with Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC ) officials as they have trespassed into my land, constructing illegal buildings. GWMC is silent due to local politics and money trail to various building inspectors. Kindly help me and also reply with your email so as to send more details.
Ravindra Sena

In respect of the Company Termination Notice and the reason for the inordinate delay in bringing his case to a close, the information sought by the complainant was rejected under section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act, holding that it pertains to aviation security related matters. The complainant stated that information was denied without any reasons or justification despite the fact that the same pertained to his own disciplinary proceedings and withdrawal of Airport Entry Permit (AEP). The respondent stated that a petition has been filed by the complainant before the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi where the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is also a party. The CIC observed that no plausible explanation for claiming exemption u/s 8 (1) (a) of the RTI Act was provided by the PIO and the same is without any clear justification which is against Section 7 (8) (i) of the Act. The CIC ruled that the plea of the Respondent regarding the ongoing matter before the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi bears no relevance to the facts of the instant case since the RTI Act does not provide for any exemption u/s 8 as per which information can be denied merely on the ground that the matter is subjudice. The CIC directed the PIO, BCAS to show cause and submit an explanation stating the reasons/ justifications for claiming exemption u/s 8 (1) (a) of the RTI Act by 30.11.2021.
Comments
The information cannot be denied merely on the ground that the matter is pending before the Court of law. The matter being sub-judice is not a ground for denial of information.
Citation: Cdr. Jagdeep Singh Minhas (Retd) v. Bureau of Civil Aviation Security in Complaint No. CIC/BOCAS/C/2019/640736, Date of Decision: 14.10.2021
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

Government is not serious on this issue even knowing that it is the only organisation on which life of nation is dependent because it is 24*7 live even in the pandemic. Due to this kind of situation decision making got suffered. So government should appoint members from the regular officers because they are well acquainted with the government policy and contract conditions. Regular Officials are working round the clock but in the absence of members from the permanent cadre, only dependent on officers from other organisation who come for limited period. It’s the only organisation who doesn’t get appreciation even performed very well.
Kumar

A very good initiative started by Post Offices to provide doorstep services including Aadhaar related using services of Post Man and Gramin Dak Sevaks . It will make life easier for people living in villages and towns. We have good India Post Payments banks network consisting of nearly 650 Payment Banks. In all we have approximately 1,50,000 post offices, sub post offices, branch post offices etc. and using most probably Finacle software for Core banking Services. Financial Services are now available on digital platform and services can be used in any place throughout India. But still to open an account and maintain it, it requires local address for KYC or its update which is blocking the growth of business. For example a person from Bihar moves to J&K and another person moves from Assam to Bangalore and having Aadhaar with Bihar and Assam addresses respectively. They should be allowed to open a account in J&K and Bangalore Post office with their present addresses in IDs. It is humbly submitted to Hon'ble Minister for Communications, Electronics and IT to please dispensed with requirement of local address in opening and maintaining the accounts in Post Offices. The address given in Aadhaar can be taken for opening an account along with PAN, mobile number and e-mail address. These four or three IDs-Aadhaar, PAN and mobile number should be sufficient to open an account any where in the country ir-respective of address location given in Aadhaar. Meaning thereby Bihar person can open an account in J&K and Assam person can open an account in Bangalore with their present IDs. This will ease out many problems of general public of KYC and its update.. Now we may have Digital bank where banking services will be provided on digital platform and may not be having many branches of the bank. They will all authenticate their IDs, mobile numbers, PAN cards and e-mail addresses online and services will be made available. We may adopt similar approach for the growth of post office business and services. We should remember the Kodak case not adopting the change in technology and ultimately Kodak lost the market. In villages and small towns where bank branches are not available, post offices are only solution to provide financial services. We should strengthen further with practical and pragmatic approach so the people can get services with ease not with restrictions. Hon'ble Minister may consider the request for dispensing with local address requirement for opening an account and maintaining it in post offices.
Naveen

There are so many laws with regard to urban construction in India. They are openly flouted, bribes are paid to Municipal staff and nothing happens. Land grabbing is rampant, nobody takes any action, title suits are filed, cases drag on for thirty years, till the complainant gets old and incapable of following up cases, which are then dismissed for default. It is high time the law of Torts is strengthened in India. People should be able to sue for damages and get awards of hefty damages for personal wrongs done to them, just like in the USA. This will also reduce the rampant law breaking and bribery.
Naveen

Gujarat state has passed an anti land grabbing law. As usual, Gujarat has shown the way. This law should be passed by all states in order to reduce instances of land grabbing which is now rampant all over India.
Vijay Kumar
Youth must be given opportunity
Sir, thank you for raising this issue. I am also of the view, youths have good academic skills and energy should be given preference, otherwise they will be disappointed for not getting job. They must be given opportunity to gain experience and understand the work of govt machinery. Not everybody is expert in this world. Everyone has to start afresh and will get experience.
Kiran Nayyar

Navin has highlighted a very genuine problem in his note" KYC and its updates". His suggested remedy is also very simple and therefore effective. Many who are forced to change their residence due to transfer or retirement etc are facing a genuine problem for local address. For example, a person who because of old age chose to move and relocate to his son'/daughter's residence is not able to open a bank account in his new place of residence since he has no address proof. I join Navin in appealing to the authorities to waive off the need for local address.
Raghavan
Sunil Paliwal appointed as Chairperson, Chennai Port Trust
Congratulations. Welcome to the family of Chennai Port, where once upon a time I was official Trustee and Independent Director in KPL.
A R Rao

The appellant has sought information regarding license issued for poppy cultivation to an individual and other related queries. The PIO informed the appellant that the information sought being 32 years old is not available. Being dissatisfied with the same, the appellant filed first appeal and the FAA upheld the PIO’s reply. The respondent submitted that the information sought being too old cannot be traceable. The CIC directed the respondent to make all possible efforts to search the relevant information and provide the same to the appellant. In an alternative, an appropriate affidavit enumerating the factum that the information sought is not in the custody of the public authority should be provided to the appellant.
Comments
It is seen that old records are not traceable with many public authorities and nobody is held responsible for the loss of documents. Many public authorities are not undertaking destruction of records on regular basis which they are required to undertake.
Citation: Mr. Lal Singh V. Central Bureau of Narcotics in Second Appeal No.CIC/DOREV/A/2020/108647, Date: 12.10.2021
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