Open violation of RTI Act by CEO Poonch; Will Director School Education act?

Open violation of RTI Act by CEO Poonch; Will Director School Education act?

POONCH TODAY NEWS

POONCH: In pursuance of section 5(1) of Right to Information Act 2005(Central Act) and as per Govt order No 45-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated 08-01-2020, Director School Education vide her no DSEG/Gen/10-18-45 dated 14-01-2020 nominated PIOs and FAAs in School Education Department and directed her subordinates to implement the RTI act strongly, but it seems that the order of DSEJ has not reached to Chief Education officer Poonch who has violated the RTI act as he failed to provide the reply to RTI applicant. It is pertinent to  mention here that CEO Poonch has not earned a professional reputation in the department yet as highly placed sources said that he doesn’t know many official things of department and take help of others to settle the things. Its strange that central RTI act has been implemented in J&K UT fully and direction to implement it strongly has been issued from LGs administration, but it seems that in Education Department Poonch, there are no takers of LG s and DSEJ orders. Violation of RTI act shows that CEO has taken RTI act lightly. Either he has  no record of information asked under RTI or has no knowledge about dealing with RTI issues.  Director School Education,  who recommended implementation of the act strongly on the ground, has a reason to worry because there are large number of unproductive officials in Education Department who need to learn the RTI act fully. It’s an open murder of transparency act under which a RTI applicant wanted information regarding funds usage under various schemes in few educational zones of Poonch district. Non compliance of RTI act by CEO Poonch shows that something is fishy behind the curtains. Moreover, First Appellate Authority is Joint Director Education Poonch and Rajouri but unfortunately, there is no Joint Director present in both the districts as charge of Joint Director was given to an officer of Director Office Jammu. It is high time that Director School Education must take the issue of appointing a permanent Joint Director in Rajouri Poonch besides taking action against the erring officers who violate RTI act at will, thereby bringing a bad name for the department.