CIC lashes out at AMU for appointing sick employees as PIOs!

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)to deal with his employees in a compassionate manner and ensure that people suffering from serious ill health are not given the job of being Public Information Officers (PIOs). It is indeed callous for a public authority to appoint people with very bad health as public information officers.

In the instant case the complainant was Dr. Anisul Ain Usmani, Department of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, and the respondent was Mr. Qazi Javed Ahmad, Public Information Officer, AMU, Office of The Registrar, AMU.

The Complainant had sought information from PIO –Aligarh Muslim University regarding Instructions and orders of the Vice Chancellor, file noting, Name and designation of all concerned officials, Present status of the concerned file regarding his letter of July 09, 2009 wherein he had pointed out financial embezzlement of huge quantum in the Department of Physics. He had also attached copy of the letter.
1. Instructions and orders of the Vice Chancellor with dates.
2. Complete file noting till date.
3. Daily progress of the said application.
4. Name and designation of all concerned officials stating definite reason of their relationship with the matter.
5. Present status of the concerned file.
6. As sought in the said letter has an inquiry been instituted till date by the Vice Chancellor, the reason thereof?
7. In case, no inquiry has been instituted till date by the Vice Chancellor, the reason thereof.
8. Is any official responsible for an extra ordinary delay? If yes, name and designation of that official.
9.Any other information.

The PIO in his reply after receiving the Commission’s notice dated 17/09/2009 said “In this connection, it is to inform you that the file, with regard to your queries, is presently not traceable, hence, this office is unable to provide you the desired information vide his letter no. R-072-073/CIC/RTI/DE/D. No. 0109/SP dated 09-10-2009”.

The PIO initially gave no information and on 09/10/2009 after the notice of the Information Commission informed the Complainant that the file was “not traceable”. CIC observed that it is very surprising that a file relating to financial embezzlement and the letter of 09 July 2009 was not available by 27 July 2009despite that fact that the complainant had also attached the letter about which he was seeking information. Ultimately the PIO has given the information giving the copy of the complete file notings regarding the matter on 23/10/2009.

SICK PIO!
The Respondent claims that the PIO Mr. Qazi Javed Ahmad has Coronary Artery Disease and that he does not attend office regularly. It is a very sad comment on the management of the University that it can not find a person who does not suffer form ill health to act as PIO. The First Appeal was filed on 24/08/2009. The FAA’s order is given to the Commission dated 21/09/2009. It is revealing that no mention is made of the PIO’s ill health in the FAA’s order nor is any mention made of the file not being available. The FAA had ordered that the information must be provided with in 10 days but this order was also not implemented. Given the fact that the medical reports of the PIO have been submitted that the PIO has been suffering from severe Coronary problems and has been advised angiography the Commission is not taking any action against the PIO on humanitarian grounds.

Facts:
RTI application filed on : 24/07/2009
PIO replied : No reply
First appeal filed on : 24/08/2009
First Appellate Authority order : No order
Second Appeal received on : 15/09/2009
Date of Notice of Hearing : 18-11-2009
Hearing Held on : 21/12/2009

This is not the first time that this particular PIO, namely, Mr Qazi Javed, has got way without any fine being imposed by the CIC. One previous occasions too, Mr Javed got away with a light reprimand by feigning ignorance. It appears that the CIC has a short memory and public authorities like AMU are exploiting this fact merrily.