Jagadhri BDPO fined Rs 15,000 under RTI Act

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Yamunanagar, May 30

Sameer Mathur, Haryana RTI Commissioner, has imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on the Jagadhri block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) for not providing information to an advocate under the RTI Act.

Advocate GD Gupta, who had sought information under the RTI Act, alleged the husband of the sarpanch of Nayagaon village and her brother-in-law had encroached upon panchayat land.

After proving encroachment in the ‘nishandehi’ conducted by tehsildar, the Collector Grade-I, (SDM) Jagadhri, had ordered BDPO to remove encroachment and recover the profit (land rent) at the rate of Rs 4,000 per acre per year. However, the Jagadhri BDPO failed to take repossession of the panchayat land.

Gupta said he had sought information in this regard. However, when he was not provided with the information, he filed an appeal before the Haryana RTI Commissioner.

He said besides imposing a fine on the BDPO and ordering to provide the requisite information, the RTI Commissioner had also ordered the Yamunanagar Deputy Commissioner to get removed the encroachment on the panchayat land.