The ruling Shiv Sena alliance in the BMC feels that queries asked under the Right To Information Act are slowing down pace of development work taken up by BMC.
The ruling Shiv Sena alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) feels that queries asked under the Right To Information Act (RTI) are slowing down pace of development work taken up by BMC. The party claims that RTI queries have delayed provision of basic civic facilities. With a rise in queries being filed under RTI, senior engineers and officials spend more time in answering them. This affects provision of basic civic facilities, Sena corporator Rahul Shewale said.
The Shiv Sena is now demanding specialised RTI cells to be created for all civic departments. Currently, assistant municipal commissioners and deputy municipal commissioners have been appointed as appellate authorities. Engineers heading departments are appointed as public information officials (PIOs). On behalf of the party, Shewale will be moving a notice of motion at the general body meeting, demanding the creation of specialised RTI cells.
“RTI hearings are held three days a week. Head of departments and senior engineers, who are supposed to visit the ward frequently, are answering queries. This affects their efficiency. The creation of RTI staff will also ensure quicker replies to RTI applications,” he said.
While RTI activists were not averse to the creation of a special cell, they did not agree that applications hinder civic work. “It is owing to RTI applications that there is a deal of transparency and efficiency,” said RTI activist Simpreet Singh. Civic engineers welcomed such a move. Incidently, M/East municipal ward has seen 52 RTI applications filed with the maintenance department and 103-odd filed with building proposal department in August.
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