RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh State Information Commission in a significant decision has asked the state government to initiate disciplinary action against the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF-Wildlife) for furnishing wrong and erroneous information to the RTI applicant. This is the first such ruling by the Commission against any senior Indian Forest Officer (IFS) in Chhattisgarh.
The applicant Vyas Muni Dwivedi had submitted a complaint to the state forest minister in July 2019 substantiated with facts on how two IFS officers were trying to give protection to the officials who were reportedly found 'wrongfully confining' an elephant in captivity and demanded strict action against them.
Minister Mohammed Akbar immediately issued a directive to take action on the basis of the complaint letter submitted with supporting evidence.
Later when the RTI application sought information from the forest department on what steps were taken by the office of the PCCF (wildlife) under the minister’s command, he got the reply that “the line of action remains under process”.
Not satisfied with the reply, Dwivedi filed the first appeal in October 2019 but got the same reply from the department. Later the applicant moved to the Information Commission with his second appeal.
The Commission asked the department to produce documents before it regarding the department's proceeding taken on the letter that carried the recommendation of the forest minister to take action.
It was found that the then PCCF (Wildlife) Atul Shukla had written a note-sheet on 17 September 2019 that it would be better to inform the RTI applicant that the action following the minister’s directive is under process at the department level.
However, the Commission after scrutiny of the documents was surprised to find that the department didn't even start any action on the recommendation of the forest minister.
“When no action had even been initiated till the day when the applicant filed his first appeal, how could the information given to him be cited as officially under process? The information provided by the concerned (the then PCCF-Wildlife) was wrong and erroneous”, stated the Commission in its order after the final hearing on the given appeal.
The Commission has consequently asked the Principal Secretary (Forest) to seek an explanation from the then PCCF-Wildlife and initiate disciplinary action against him.
“The observation by the Commission is equally indicative of the fact on how the senior officials conveniently ignore the directive of the minister on serious issues”, averred Nitin Singhvi, wildlife enthusiast.