The state information commission has ordered the municipal commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to conduct an inquiry into why the public information officer and all related officers did not provide information on encroachments in school premises.

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The order was given on an application filed by Dadar resident Ramesh Malkar. Malkar had sought information on a BMC school where he had studied. The school stands on Chitale Path behind Portuguese Church in Dadar Kumbharwada.

"I had sought information on the officers who are responsible for lodging an FIR on this encroachment and the action on numerous complaints I had made. In the complaints, I had also stated that 12 rooms of the school were encroached upon and some people were showing the property as their own," said Malkar.

He added, "There are people who do not allow us inside the school premises. However, despite several complaints to the police and to the BMC, no action is yet taken on the people. Hence, I filed an RTI application to know the status of my complaints."

While the PIO did not give any information, the first appellate authority directed the PIO to provide all information in a week's time. When the applicant did not get any information, he approached the commission. In the second appeal, the commission, citing the Municipal Corporation Act and circular issued by the chief secretary, stated that officers are expected to take action in a given time frame of four days to 90 days in case the matter pertained to another department. "I have been filing complaints and following up on the case for years together with no action," said Malkar.

The commission directed the municipal commissioner to conduct an inquiry and give compliance by August 31. It also slapped a show cause notice on the PIO asking to know why no action should be taken.