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Tag: RTI

  • MP man will get 40000-page reply to RTI plea, brings paperwork house in SUV 

    By PTI

    INDORE: The sports activities utility car of a person in Indore in Madhya Pradesh was fully filled with 40,000 pages he acquired as reply to his Right to Information Act plea related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Moreover, Dharmendra Shukla additionally didn’t have pay the stipulated Rs 2 per web page since his plea was not answered inside one month.

    “I had submitted an RTI plea with the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of Indore seeking details of tenders and bill payments connected to procurement of medicines, equipment and allied materials during the COVID-19 pandemic period,” Shukla mentioned on Saturday.

    Since he was not supplied the knowledge inside one month, he approached the primary appellate officer Dr Sharad Gupta, who accepted the plea and directed that he be given the knowledge freed from value, Shukla added.

    “I took my SUV to ferry the documents and the entire vehicle got packed. Only the driver’s seat remained free,” he mentioned.

    When contacted, appellate officer and Regional Joint Director of the state well being division Dr Sharad Gupta mentioned he had ordered that the knowledge be given freed from value.

    Gupta mentioned he had directed the CMHO to take acceptable motion in opposition to the personnel because of whom the state exchequer misplaced Rs 80,000 for the reason that data was not given in time.

    INDORE: The sports activities utility car of a person in Indore in Madhya Pradesh was fully filled with 40,000 pages he acquired as reply to his Right to Information Act plea related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Moreover, Dharmendra Shukla additionally didn’t have pay the stipulated Rs 2 per web page since his plea was not answered inside one month.

    “I had submitted an RTI plea with the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of Indore seeking details of tenders and bill payments connected to procurement of medicines, equipment and allied materials during the COVID-19 pandemic period,” Shukla mentioned on Saturday.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

    Since he was not supplied the knowledge inside one month, he approached the primary appellate officer Dr Sharad Gupta, who accepted the plea and directed that he be given the knowledge freed from value, Shukla added.

    “I took my SUV to ferry the documents and the entire vehicle got packed. Only the driver’s seat remained free,” he mentioned.

    When contacted, appellate officer and Regional Joint Director of the state well being division Dr Sharad Gupta mentioned he had ordered that the knowledge be given freed from value.

    Gupta mentioned he had directed the CMHO to take acceptable motion in opposition to the personnel because of whom the state exchequer misplaced Rs 80,000 for the reason that data was not given in time.

  • CIAL is public authority, falls below ambit of RTI: Kerala High Court

    By PTI

    KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has held that Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) is a public authority which comes below the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

    The ruling by Justice Amit Rawal got here on a batch of pleas moved by CIAL difficult the Kerala State Information Commission’s 2019 order holding that the corporate was a public authority and directing it to reveal the data sought by some RTI candidates concerning minutes of its Board conferences.

    The excessive courtroom mentioned that minutes of the Board conferences, after approval, are despatched to the registrar of corporations and due to this fact, it was a public doc and can’t be exempted as private data below the RTI Act.

    CIAL, in its plea, had claimed that it was not a public authority and the data sought below RTI was private data which was exempt from disclosure below the transparency legislation.

    Rejecting its rivalry, the excessive courtroom dominated, “The order of the State Information Commission dated June 20, 2019 in a batch of petitions assailed by the petitioner (CIAL) is perfectly justified and legal. Accordingly, upheld. Writ petitions (of CIAL) are dismissed.”

    The courtroom additional mentioned, “It is held that the CIAL is a public authority.”

    It additionally remanded again to the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) of the CIAL an utility, by one of many firm’s shareholders, in search of share switch particulars of one other shareholder and directed that the data be supplied in accordance with the legislation.

    During the listening to of the matter, CIAL had contended that it was not a public authority because the Kerala authorities has no management over its choices that are taken by the Board of Directors.

    It had additionally contended that nomination or appointment of Directors, together with the Managing Director of the corporate was topic to the Board’s choice and even energy of the federal government to appoint 1/third of the Directors was topic to the ultimate choice of the Board and the corporate doesn’t require the approval of the federal government.

    CIAL had additionally claimed that the empanelment of the Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, as its Chairman and the authorisation he has to appoint Directors, together with the MD, wouldn’t imply the federal government has considerably financed the corporate and has management over its administration and affairs.

    The RTI candidates, alternatively, had contended that CIAL’s web site reveals it obtained a Rs 100 million bridge mortgage from the Federal Bank with the Kerala authorities standing as a guarantor.

    Besides that even the Housing and Urban Development Corporation of India (HUDCO), additionally on the assure of the Kerala authorities, supplied a time period mortgage of Rs one billion, that they had informed the courtroom and claimed that, due to this fact, CIAL was a public authority.

    After listening to each units of arguments, the excessive courtroom in its order of December 2 mentioned that whereas a mere shareholding of the state authorities wouldn’t result in a conclusion that it has a deep and pervasive management over the corporate, however the info together with the Articles of Association and the “candid admission” of CIAL on its web site leaves little doubt that the Kerala authorities has management over it.

    “Therefore, the petitioner company CIAL would definitely fall within the definition of public authority as provided under the RTI Act,” the courtroom mentioned.

    It additional famous that apart from the CM as chairman, out of three of the Directors, two are ministers and the Manager is of the rank of Chief Secretary or Additional Secretary.

    “The Managing Director of the company is an IAS officer and the salary is being drawn from the state exchequer. The order of the State Information Commission is perfectly legal and justified and does not call for any interference under Article 226 of the Constitution of India,” the excessive courtroom mentioned.

    KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has held that Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) is a public authority which comes below the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

    The ruling by Justice Amit Rawal got here on a batch of pleas moved by CIAL difficult the Kerala State Information Commission’s 2019 order holding that the corporate was a public authority and directing it to reveal the data sought by some RTI candidates concerning minutes of its Board conferences.

    The excessive courtroom mentioned that minutes of the Board conferences, after approval, are despatched to the registrar of corporations and due to this fact, it was a public doc and can’t be exempted as private data below the RTI Act.

    CIAL, in its plea, had claimed that it was not a public authority and the data sought below RTI was private data which was exempt from disclosure below the transparency legislation.

    Rejecting its rivalry, the excessive courtroom dominated, “The order of the State Information Commission dated June 20, 2019 in a batch of petitions assailed by the petitioner (CIAL) is perfectly justified and legal. Accordingly, upheld. Writ petitions (of CIAL) are dismissed.”

    The courtroom additional mentioned, “It is held that the CIAL is a public authority.”

    It additionally remanded again to the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) of the CIAL an utility, by one of many firm’s shareholders, in search of share switch particulars of one other shareholder and directed that the data be supplied in accordance with the legislation.

    During the listening to of the matter, CIAL had contended that it was not a public authority because the Kerala authorities has no management over its choices that are taken by the Board of Directors.

    It had additionally contended that nomination or appointment of Directors, together with the Managing Director of the corporate was topic to the Board’s choice and even energy of the federal government to appoint 1/third of the Directors was topic to the ultimate choice of the Board and the corporate doesn’t require the approval of the federal government.

    CIAL had additionally claimed that the empanelment of the Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, as its Chairman and the authorisation he has to appoint Directors, together with the MD, wouldn’t imply the federal government has considerably financed the corporate and has management over its administration and affairs.

    The RTI candidates, alternatively, had contended that CIAL’s web site reveals it obtained a Rs 100 million bridge mortgage from the Federal Bank with the Kerala authorities standing as a guarantor.

    Besides that even the Housing and Urban Development Corporation of India (HUDCO), additionally on the assure of the Kerala authorities, supplied a time period mortgage of Rs one billion, that they had informed the courtroom and claimed that, due to this fact, CIAL was a public authority.

    After listening to each units of arguments, the excessive courtroom in its order of December 2 mentioned that whereas a mere shareholding of the state authorities wouldn’t result in a conclusion that it has a deep and pervasive management over the corporate, however the info together with the Articles of Association and the “candid admission” of CIAL on its web site leaves little doubt that the Kerala authorities has management over it.

    “Therefore, the petitioner company CIAL would definitely fall within the definition of public authority as provided under the RTI Act,” the courtroom mentioned.

    It additional famous that apart from the CM as chairman, out of three of the Directors, two are ministers and the Manager is of the rank of Chief Secretary or Additional Secretary.

    “The Managing Director of the company is an IAS officer and the salary is being drawn from the state exchequer. The order of the State Information Commission is perfectly legal and justified and does not call for any interference under Article 226 of the Constitution of India,” the excessive courtroom mentioned.

  • AICF claims pests destroyed information in response to question below RTI Act

    The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has claimed that information pertaining to a Right to Information (RTI) Act question by a participant have been destroyed by pests at its headquarters right here, resulting in a rebuke from the Central Information Commission.

    Responding to a question below the RTI Act searching for info on numerous points by FIDE Master (FM) Gurpreet Pal Singh, the AICF claimed the information had been destroyed by pests.

    “Initially, they denied information stating that the case is pending in Madras High Court. Then they said records have been destroyed by pests and finally they denied it under section 8 (1)(d), (e), (j) of the act,” Singh instructed PTI.

    “The commission did not agree with this and ordered them to provide information and admonished them for trying to misguide the commission and changing their stand,” he added.

    He additional stated that “the AICF had earlier told the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that its records were destroyed by the floods in Chennai in 2015”.

    At a listening to on the CIC workplace, the AICF’s Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) had submitted that the requisite info pertains to the Chennai workplace and apprised the bench that the related information have been destroyed/broken by pests.

    “Upon being queried by the Commission whether he has any proof for the same, he could not provide a cogent reply,” the CIC order notes.
    Meanwhile, the CIC ordered AICF to offer the main points sought by Singh.

    Earlier in 2019, Singh had sought info from AICF with regard to year-wise expenditure incurred by AICF in a case filed by them towards the CCI’s order earlier than the Madras High Court, other than numerous different points.

  • Ex-Information Commissioner requires wider utilization of RTI

    By Express News Service

    BHUBANESWAR: Even after 17 years of its inception, the Right to Information (RTI) Act is dying a sluggish however a sure dying. Between 40 lakh and 60 lakh RTI functions are filed yearly, however lower than 3 per cent of Indian residents have ever filed an RTI plea, mentioned consultants at th RTI Day celebration organised by RTI Clinic, a city-based discussion board, on Wednesday.

    “The anti-corruption law will become obsolete if we don’t use it on a greater scale. More use of RTI by citizens will certainly reduce the attack on RTI activists who expose corruption,” mentioned former State Information Commissioner Jagadananda whereas inaugurating the occasion.

    He known as to be used of the legislation on the grassroots degree and a sustained consciousness marketing campaign among the many residents together with tribals about RTI Act.Former bureaucrat Sribhusan Sukla mentioned the federal government ought to make the administration’s work so clear that there’s minimal requirement to file RTI functions. 

    BHUBANESWAR: Even after 17 years of its inception, the Right to Information (RTI) Act is dying a sluggish however a sure dying. Between 40 lakh and 60 lakh RTI functions are filed yearly, however lower than 3 per cent of Indian residents have ever filed an RTI plea, mentioned consultants at th RTI Day celebration organised by RTI Clinic, a city-based discussion board, on Wednesday.

    “The anti-corruption law will become obsolete if we don’t use it on a greater scale. More use of RTI by citizens will certainly reduce the attack on RTI activists who expose corruption,” mentioned former State Information Commissioner Jagadananda whereas inaugurating the occasion.

    He known as to be used of the legislation on the grassroots degree and a sustained consciousness marketing campaign among the many residents together with tribals about RTI Act.Former bureaucrat Sribhusan Sukla mentioned the federal government ought to make the administration’s work so clear that there’s minimal requirement to file RTI functions. 

  • Mystery shrouds Lord Jagannath’s ‘Ratna Bhadar’

    By PTI

    BHUBANESHWAR: The thriller over Lord Jagannath’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ has deepened because the Odisha authorities has “no plan” to reopen the interior chamber of the treasury of the Twelfth-century shrine in Puri and refused to share details about the temple’s asset to an RTI activist, devotees claimed on Monday.

    Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) below the state legislation division, didn’t reply to the queries of Bolangir-based RTI activist Hemant Panda.

    The State Information Commission has just lately imposed a tremendous on the SJTA’s officer S Ok Chatterjee for not sharing data within the public curiosity.

    Asserting that the SJTA can not determine to open the interior chamber of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, temple administrator (improvement) Ajay Kumar Jena stated the problem can be positioned earlier than the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee in its subsequent assembly.

    “The SJTA will inform the managing committee’s decision to the government and then only the treasury can be opened,” he stated.

    It appeared that water seeps by means of cracks within the wall of the shop, temple’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in-charge and servitor Niranjan Mekap stated, including that the treasury “must be opened immediately and repaired”.

    Leader of Opposition within the state meeting Jaynarayan Mishra alleged that the state authorities has “by no means made any try and open the interior chamber of the treasury despite the fact that it has gold, diamond jewelry, treasured stones and different ornaments.

    It remained closed for 44 years even because the Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 has a provision of endeavor inspection of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ each three years, the BJP chief stated. The ruling BJD leaders stay tight-lipped over the problem.

    Law Minister Jagannath Saraka had advised the Assembly on July 16 that if any proposal is obtained to open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, the state authorities will take needed steps after inspecting totally different elements.

    Congress and BJP legislators within the House had demanded an “immediate inventory of items stored in the treasury.”

    Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, who can be the chairman of the Temple Managing Committee, has sought to open the treasury to clear doubts of devotees over the presence of belongings.

    The Archaeological Survey of India, which takes care of the upkeep of Odisha’s hottest non secular website, had just lately urged the state authorities to open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ for the bodily inspection of the construction.

    “The Ratna Bhandar is located in the basement of the temple, which should be inspected physically. The walls of the treasury may be damaged due to climate impact on the structure. It must be repaired immediately,” a senior ASI official stated.

    The temple has at the very least two chambers of its treasury. The ‘Bahar Bhandar’ (outer chamber) shops ornaments utilized by the deities every day, whereas many items of jewelry are stored within the interior chamber of the treasury, in accordance with temple sources.

    An try was made to open the interior chamber of ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in April 2018 following a directive of the Orissa High Court, however it was not profitable as keys weren’t discovered at the moment.

    A workforce, comprising ASI officers, monks and others, then carried out an inspection from exterior.

    In the wake of a statewide hue and cry, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had constituted a judicial fee headed by retired Justice Raghubir Das to probe into the lacking key concern.

    “Though the commission has submitted its report to the state government, we are unable to understand why the findings of the panel were not tabled in the assembly so far,” senior Congress legislator Santosh Singh Saluja stated.

    The fee had in November 2018 submitted its 324-page report back to the Odisha authorities. The opposition MLA stated the “missing of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ keys, and not revealing the judicial panel report by the government becomes a mystique”.

    Former temple administrator Rabindra Narayan Mishra, who was a part of the workforce that inspected the interior chamber of the treasury in 1978, stated, “The Ratna Bhandar is divided into two parts. While the outer chamber stores the ornaments and valuables for regular use of the deities, most precious jewellery items are kept in the inner chamber. I had seen huge quantities of gold, diamond and ornaments wrapped in clothes and kept in wooden boxes.”

    Earlier, the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ was opened in 1803 and 1926, Mishra stated.

    All the dear objects have been listed and weighed correctly over the last inspection, he stated, including that the valuation of the asset couldn’t be ascertained as goldsmiths from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat weren’t capable of calculate the precise worth of the ornaments at the moment.

    “I think it is high time to do an inventory of the ornaments stored in the Ratna Bhandar and allow the ASI to inspect the physical structure of the temple,” he stated.

    In 2021, then legislation minister Pratap Jena knowledgeable the House that in accordance with 1978 stock, the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ had 12,831 ‘bhari’ of gold and 22,153 ‘bhari’ of silver (one bhari is the same as 11.66 grams).

    The treasury additionally had 12,831 gram of gold ornaments with treasured stones and different valuables in retailer, he had stated.

    As a lot as 22,153 gram of silver with costly stones, silver utensils and different valuables had been discovered there, Jena talked about, including that attributable to varied causes, 14 gold and silver objects couldn’t be weighed through the stock course of.

    BHUBANESHWAR: The thriller over Lord Jagannath’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ has deepened because the Odisha authorities has “no plan” to reopen the interior chamber of the treasury of the Twelfth-century shrine in Puri and refused to share details about the temple’s asset to an RTI activist, devotees claimed on Monday.

    Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) below the state legislation division, didn’t reply to the queries of Bolangir-based RTI activist Hemant Panda.

    The State Information Commission has just lately imposed a tremendous on the SJTA’s officer S Ok Chatterjee for not sharing data within the public curiosity.

    Asserting that the SJTA can not determine to open the interior chamber of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, temple administrator (improvement) Ajay Kumar Jena stated the problem can be positioned earlier than the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee in its subsequent assembly.

    “The SJTA will inform the managing committee’s decision to the government and then only the treasury can be opened,” he stated.

    It appeared that water seeps by means of cracks within the wall of the shop, temple’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in-charge and servitor Niranjan Mekap stated, including that the treasury “must be opened immediately and repaired”.

    Leader of Opposition within the state meeting Jaynarayan Mishra alleged that the state authorities has “by no means made any try and open the interior chamber of the treasury despite the fact that it has gold, diamond jewelry, treasured stones and different ornaments.

    It remained closed for 44 years even because the Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 has a provision of endeavor inspection of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ each three years, the BJP chief stated. The ruling BJD leaders stay tight-lipped over the problem.

    Law Minister Jagannath Saraka had advised the Assembly on July 16 that if any proposal is obtained to open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, the state authorities will take needed steps after inspecting totally different elements.

    Congress and BJP legislators within the House had demanded an “immediate inventory of items stored in the treasury.”

    Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, who can be the chairman of the Temple Managing Committee, has sought to open the treasury to clear doubts of devotees over the presence of belongings.

    The Archaeological Survey of India, which takes care of the upkeep of Odisha’s hottest non secular website, had just lately urged the state authorities to open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ for the bodily inspection of the construction.

    “The Ratna Bhandar is located in the basement of the temple, which should be inspected physically. The walls of the treasury may be damaged due to climate impact on the structure. It must be repaired immediately,” a senior ASI official stated.

    The temple has at the very least two chambers of its treasury. The ‘Bahar Bhandar’ (outer chamber) shops ornaments utilized by the deities every day, whereas many items of jewelry are stored within the interior chamber of the treasury, in accordance with temple sources.

    An try was made to open the interior chamber of ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in April 2018 following a directive of the Orissa High Court, however it was not profitable as keys weren’t discovered at the moment.

    A workforce, comprising ASI officers, monks and others, then carried out an inspection from exterior.

    In the wake of a statewide hue and cry, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had constituted a judicial fee headed by retired Justice Raghubir Das to probe into the lacking key concern.

    “Though the commission has submitted its report to the state government, we are unable to understand why the findings of the panel were not tabled in the assembly so far,” senior Congress legislator Santosh Singh Saluja stated.

    The fee had in November 2018 submitted its 324-page report back to the Odisha authorities. The opposition MLA stated the “missing of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ keys, and not revealing the judicial panel report by the government becomes a mystique”.

    Former temple administrator Rabindra Narayan Mishra, who was a part of the workforce that inspected the interior chamber of the treasury in 1978, stated, “The Ratna Bhandar is divided into two parts. While the outer chamber stores the ornaments and valuables for regular use of the deities, most precious jewellery items are kept in the inner chamber. I had seen huge quantities of gold, diamond and ornaments wrapped in clothes and kept in wooden boxes.”

    Earlier, the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ was opened in 1803 and 1926, Mishra stated.

    All the dear objects have been listed and weighed correctly over the last inspection, he stated, including that the valuation of the asset couldn’t be ascertained as goldsmiths from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat weren’t capable of calculate the precise worth of the ornaments at the moment.

    “I think it is high time to do an inventory of the ornaments stored in the Ratna Bhandar and allow the ASI to inspect the physical structure of the temple,” he stated.

    In 2021, then legislation minister Pratap Jena knowledgeable the House that in accordance with 1978 stock, the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ had 12,831 ‘bhari’ of gold and 22,153 ‘bhari’ of silver (one bhari is the same as 11.66 grams).

    The treasury additionally had 12,831 gram of gold ornaments with treasured stones and different valuables in retailer, he had stated.

    As a lot as 22,153 gram of silver with costly stones, silver utensils and different valuables had been discovered there, Jena talked about, including that attributable to varied causes, 14 gold and silver objects couldn’t be weighed through the stock course of.

  • Mystery shrouds Lord Jagannath’s ‘Ratna Bhadar’

    By PTI

    BHUBANESHWAR: The thriller over Lord Jagannath’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ has deepened because the Odisha authorities has “no plan” to reopen the interior chamber of the treasury of the Twelfth-century shrine in Puri and refused to share details about the temple’s asset to an RTI activist, devotees claimed on Monday.

    Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) below the state regulation division, didn’t reply to the queries of Bolangir-based RTI activist Hemant Panda.

    The State Information Commission has not too long ago imposed a advantageous on the SJTA’s officer S Ok Chatterjee for not sharing data within the public curiosity.

    Asserting that the SJTA can’t determine to open the interior chamber of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, temple administrator (improvement) Ajay Kumar Jena mentioned the difficulty shall be positioned earlier than the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee in its subsequent assembly.

    “The SJTA will inform the managing committee’s decision to the government and then only the treasury can be opened,” he mentioned.

    It appeared that water seeps by cracks within the wall of the shop, temple’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in-charge and servitor Niranjan Mekap mentioned, including that the treasury “must be opened immediately and repaired”.

    Leader of Opposition within the state meeting Jaynarayan Mishra alleged that the state authorities has “by no means made any try to open the interior chamber of the treasury despite the fact that it has gold, diamond jewelry, valuable stones and different ornaments.

    It remained closed for 44 years even because the Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 has a provision of enterprise inspection of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ each three years, the BJP chief mentioned. The ruling BJD leaders stay tight-lipped over the difficulty.

    Law Minister Jagannath Saraka had instructed the Assembly on July 16 that if any proposal is obtained to open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, the state authorities will take crucial steps after inspecting completely different facets.

    Congress and BJP legislators within the House had demanded an “immediate inventory of items stored in the treasury.”

    Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, who can also be the chairman of the Temple Managing Committee, has sought to open the treasury to clear doubts of devotees over the presence of property.

    The Archaeological Survey of India, which takes care of the upkeep of Odisha’s hottest non secular website, had not too long ago urged the state authorities to open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ for the bodily inspection of the construction.

    “The Ratna Bhandar is located in the basement of the temple, which should be inspected physically. The walls of the treasury may be damaged due to climate impact on the structure. It must be repaired immediately,” a senior ASI official mentioned.

    The temple has at the very least two chambers of its treasury. The ‘Bahar Bhandar’ (outer chamber) shops ornaments utilized by the deities each day, whereas many items of jewelry are stored within the interior chamber of the treasury, in accordance with temple sources.

    An try was made to open the interior chamber of ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in April 2018 following a directive of the Orissa High Court, nevertheless it was not profitable as keys weren’t discovered at the moment.

    A crew, comprising ASI officers, monks and others, then carried out an inspection from outdoors.

    In the wake of a statewide hue and cry, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had constituted a judicial fee headed by retired Justice Raghubir Das to probe into the lacking key situation.

    “Though the commission has submitted its report to the state government, we are unable to understand why the findings of the panel were not tabled in the assembly so far,” senior Congress legislator Santosh Singh Saluja mentioned.

    The fee had in November 2018 submitted its 324-page report back to the Odisha authorities. The opposition MLA mentioned the “missing of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ keys, and not revealing the judicial panel report by the government becomes a mystique”.

    Former temple administrator Rabindra Narayan Mishra, who was a part of the crew that inspected the interior chamber of the treasury in 1978, mentioned, “The Ratna Bhandar is divided into two parts. While the outer chamber stores the ornaments and valuables for regular use of the deities, most precious jewellery items are kept in the inner chamber. I had seen huge quantities of gold, diamond and ornaments wrapped in clothes and kept in wooden boxes.”

    Earlier, the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ was opened in 1803 and 1926, Mishra mentioned.

    All the valuable objects have been listed and weighed correctly over the past inspection, he mentioned, including that the valuation of the asset couldn’t be ascertained as goldsmiths from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat weren’t capable of calculate the precise worth of the ornaments at the moment.

    “I think it is high time to do an inventory of the ornaments stored in the Ratna Bhandar and allow the ASI to inspect the physical structure of the temple,” he mentioned.

    In 2021, then regulation minister Pratap Jena knowledgeable the House that in accordance with 1978 stock, the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ had 12,831 ‘bhari’ of gold and 22,153 ‘bhari’ of silver (one bhari is the same as 11.66 grams).

    The treasury additionally had 12,831 gram of gold ornaments with valuable stones and different valuables in retailer, he had mentioned.

    As a lot as 22,153 gram of silver with costly stones, silver utensils and different valuables had been discovered there, Jena talked about, including that attributable to varied causes, 14 gold and silver objects couldn’t be weighed throughout the stock course of.

    BHUBANESHWAR: The thriller over Lord Jagannath’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ has deepened because the Odisha authorities has “no plan” to reopen the interior chamber of the treasury of the Twelfth-century shrine in Puri and refused to share details about the temple’s asset to an RTI activist, devotees claimed on Monday.

    Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) below the state regulation division, didn’t reply to the queries of Bolangir-based RTI activist Hemant Panda.

    The State Information Commission has not too long ago imposed a advantageous on the SJTA’s officer S Ok Chatterjee for not sharing data within the public curiosity.

    Asserting that the SJTA can’t determine to open the interior chamber of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, temple administrator (improvement) Ajay Kumar Jena mentioned the difficulty shall be positioned earlier than the Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee in its subsequent assembly.

    “The SJTA will inform the managing committee’s decision to the government and then only the treasury can be opened,” he mentioned.

    It appeared that water seeps by cracks within the wall of the shop, temple’s ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in-charge and servitor Niranjan Mekap mentioned, including that the treasury “must be opened immediately and repaired”.

    Leader of Opposition within the state meeting Jaynarayan Mishra alleged that the state authorities has “by no means made any try to open the interior chamber of the treasury despite the fact that it has gold, diamond jewelry, valuable stones and different ornaments.

    It remained closed for 44 years even because the Sri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955 has a provision of enterprise inspection of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ each three years, the BJP chief mentioned. The ruling BJD leaders stay tight-lipped over the difficulty.

    Law Minister Jagannath Saraka had instructed the Assembly on July 16 that if any proposal is obtained to open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’, the state authorities will take crucial steps after inspecting completely different facets.

    Congress and BJP legislators within the House had demanded an “immediate inventory of items stored in the treasury.”

    Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, who can also be the chairman of the Temple Managing Committee, has sought to open the treasury to clear doubts of devotees over the presence of property.

    The Archaeological Survey of India, which takes care of the upkeep of Odisha’s hottest non secular website, had not too long ago urged the state authorities to open the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ for the bodily inspection of the construction.

    “The Ratna Bhandar is located in the basement of the temple, which should be inspected physically. The walls of the treasury may be damaged due to climate impact on the structure. It must be repaired immediately,” a senior ASI official mentioned.

    The temple has at the very least two chambers of its treasury. The ‘Bahar Bhandar’ (outer chamber) shops ornaments utilized by the deities each day, whereas many items of jewelry are stored within the interior chamber of the treasury, in accordance with temple sources.

    An try was made to open the interior chamber of ‘Ratna Bhandar’ in April 2018 following a directive of the Orissa High Court, nevertheless it was not profitable as keys weren’t discovered at the moment.

    A crew, comprising ASI officers, monks and others, then carried out an inspection from outdoors.

    In the wake of a statewide hue and cry, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had constituted a judicial fee headed by retired Justice Raghubir Das to probe into the lacking key situation.

    “Though the commission has submitted its report to the state government, we are unable to understand why the findings of the panel were not tabled in the assembly so far,” senior Congress legislator Santosh Singh Saluja mentioned.

    The fee had in November 2018 submitted its 324-page report back to the Odisha authorities. The opposition MLA mentioned the “missing of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ keys, and not revealing the judicial panel report by the government becomes a mystique”.

    Former temple administrator Rabindra Narayan Mishra, who was a part of the crew that inspected the interior chamber of the treasury in 1978, mentioned, “The Ratna Bhandar is divided into two parts. While the outer chamber stores the ornaments and valuables for regular use of the deities, most precious jewellery items are kept in the inner chamber. I had seen huge quantities of gold, diamond and ornaments wrapped in clothes and kept in wooden boxes.”

    Earlier, the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ was opened in 1803 and 1926, Mishra mentioned.

    All the valuable objects have been listed and weighed correctly over the past inspection, he mentioned, including that the valuation of the asset couldn’t be ascertained as goldsmiths from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat weren’t capable of calculate the precise worth of the ornaments at the moment.

    “I think it is high time to do an inventory of the ornaments stored in the Ratna Bhandar and allow the ASI to inspect the physical structure of the temple,” he mentioned.

    In 2021, then regulation minister Pratap Jena knowledgeable the House that in accordance with 1978 stock, the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ had 12,831 ‘bhari’ of gold and 22,153 ‘bhari’ of silver (one bhari is the same as 11.66 grams).

    The treasury additionally had 12,831 gram of gold ornaments with valuable stones and different valuables in retailer, he had mentioned.

    As a lot as 22,153 gram of silver with costly stones, silver utensils and different valuables had been discovered there, Jena talked about, including that attributable to varied causes, 14 gold and silver objects couldn’t be weighed throughout the stock course of.

  • Chattisgarh: IC asks state govt to provoke motion towards PCCF for furnishing faulty information on RTI

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh State Information Commission in a big choice has requested the state authorities to provoke disciplinary motion towards the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF-Wildlife) for furnishing mistaken and faulty data to the RTI applicant. This is the primary such ruling by the Commission towards any senior Indian Forest Officer (IFS) in Chhattisgarh.

    The applicant Vyas Muni Dwivedi had submitted a criticism to the state forest minister in July 2019 substantiated with information on how two IFS officers had been making an attempt to offer protection to the officers who had been reportedly discovered ‘wrongfully confining’ an elephant in captivity and demanded strict motion towards them.

    Minister Mohammed Akbar instantly issued a directive to take motion on the idea of the criticism letter submitted with supporting proof.

    Later when the RTI software sought data from the forest division on what steps had been taken by the workplace of the PCCF (wildlife) beneath the minister’s command, he acquired the reply that “the line of action remains under process”.

    Not happy with the reply, Dwivedi filed the primary enchantment in October 2019 however acquired the identical reply from the division. Later the applicant moved to the Information Commission together with his second enchantment.

    The Commission requested the division to provide paperwork earlier than it concerning the division’s continuing taken on the letter that carried the advice of the forest minister to take motion.

    It was discovered that the then PCCF (Wildlife) Atul Shukla had written a note-sheet on 17 September 2019 that it could be higher to tell the RTI applicant that the motion following the minister’s directive is beneath course of on the division stage.

    However, the Commission after scrutiny of the paperwork was stunned to search out that the division did not even begin any motion on the advice 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”, acknowledged the Commission in its order after the ultimate listening to on the given enchantment.

    The Commission has consequently requested the Principal Secretary (Forest) to hunt an evidence from the then PCCF-Wildlife and provoke disciplinary motion towards 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 fanatic.

    RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh State Information Commission in a big choice has requested the state authorities to provoke disciplinary motion towards the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF-Wildlife) for furnishing mistaken and faulty data to the RTI applicant. This is the primary such ruling by the Commission towards any senior Indian Forest Officer (IFS) in Chhattisgarh.

    The applicant Vyas Muni Dwivedi had submitted a criticism to the state forest minister in July 2019 substantiated with information on how two IFS officers had been making an attempt to offer protection to the officers who had been reportedly discovered ‘wrongfully confining’ an elephant in captivity and demanded strict motion towards them.

    Minister Mohammed Akbar instantly issued a directive to take motion on the idea of the criticism letter submitted with supporting proof.

    Later when the RTI software sought data from the forest division on what steps had been taken by the workplace of the PCCF (wildlife) beneath the minister’s command, he acquired the reply that “the line of action remains under process”.

    Not happy with the reply, Dwivedi filed the primary enchantment in October 2019 however acquired the identical reply from the division. Later the applicant moved to the Information Commission together with his second enchantment.

    The Commission requested the division to provide paperwork earlier than it concerning the division’s continuing taken on the letter that carried the advice of the forest minister to take motion.

    It was discovered that the then PCCF (Wildlife) Atul Shukla had written a note-sheet on 17 September 2019 that it could be higher to tell the RTI applicant that the motion following the minister’s directive is beneath course of on the division stage.

    However, the Commission after scrutiny of the paperwork was stunned to search out that the division did not even begin any motion on the advice 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”, acknowledged the Commission in its order after the ultimate listening to on the given enchantment.

    The Commission has consequently requested the Principal Secretary (Forest) to hunt an evidence from the then PCCF-Wildlife and provoke disciplinary motion towards 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 fanatic.

  • Over 16,000 potential mother and father ready to undertake a baby for previous three years: Data

    As of June 28, there are 3,596 youngsters legally free for adoption, together with 1,380 with particular wants.

  • Kerala Higher Secondary examination guidelines not relevant for unaided Gulf area colleges?

    Express News Service

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The guidelines for the conduct of upper secondary examination in colleges within the state are usually not being adopted in unaided colleges within the Gulf area that comply with the state syllabus, the response to a Right To Information (RTI) question has revealed.

    According to the revised greater secondary examination handbook, solely senior lecturers of presidency colleges shall be appointed as chief superintendents in unaided colleges within the state. However, within the eight unaided colleges within the Gulf area, the principals of those establishments act because the senior-most official accountable for examinations within the college, says the RTI response from the General Education Department.

    The examination handbook lays down that it’s the chief superintendent who supervises and controls the deputy chief superintendents, invigilators and
    exterior examiners. Even although senior lecturers from authorities and aided colleges within the state are deployed as deputy chief superintendents in
    colleges within the Gulf area, the upper secondary handbook is silent in regards to the standards for his or her choice.

    The response to the RTI software, filed by S Manoj of Aided Higher Secondary School Teachers’ Association, additionally revealed that for sensible exams, lecturers from one college within the Gulf area are assigned en-masse as exterior examiners to a different college and vice-versa. This has raised questions in regards to the equity of the train. 

    It needs to be famous that whereas conducting the sensible examination in unaided colleges within the state, solely authorities college lecturers are chosen for the duty and assigned on a random foundation to those colleges to make sure equity.

    In one other startling revelation, the RTI response mentioned the upper secondary directorate doesn’t have the title and particulars of the lecturers who’re deployed as invigilators for the exams in colleges within the Gulf area.

    ‘Adequate measures adopted’
    Meanwhile, SS Vivekanandan, Secretary, Board of Higher Secondary Examinations, maintained that enough checks and balances are in place to make sure that no malpractices are carried out within the examinaitons held in colleges within the Gulf area.

    “In such schools, the question papers are kept in the Embassy concerned, brought to the school on the day of the exam and opened in the presence of the deputy chief superintendent who is a senior government or aided school teacher deployed from the state,” he mentioned. He added that no complaints of any malpractices have but been reported from any of those establishments.

  • Aligarh News: Case registered in opposition to activist who filed RTI relating to Jama Masjid in Aligarh, accused of inciting spiritual sentiments

    Lucky Sharma, Aligarh: A case has been registered in opposition to RTI activist Keshav Dev within the Jama Masjid episode in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh for inciting spiritual sentiments. In this regard, info has additionally been acquired a few scuffle with the police staff that went to serve the discover. Keshav Dev had demanded motion on Jama Masjid from the administration on the premise of knowledge acquired in RTI from the Municipal Corporation.

    what’s the complete matter
    On 23 June 2021, RTI activist Keshav Dev had sought info from the Aligarh Municipal Corporation on numerous factors relating to the traditional Jama Masjid positioned within the court docket above Aligarh. Shocking info have been revealed within the RTI reply given by the Municipal Corporation. In which it has been instructed that Jama Masjid is constructed on public land. It will not be owned by any specific individual. No document is out there with the Municipal Corporation relating to the development of Jama Masjid.

    There was a requirement to take away the mosque
    RTI activist Keshav Dev had written a letter to the administration demanding that the Jama Masjid stays in a public place on the premise of the info revealed within the RTI. If so, it must be eliminated simply as different unlawful encroachments are eliminated.

    Political shade got here within the matter
    After this the matter had gained political momentum. Giving an announcement on this regard, former BJP Mayor Shakuntala Bharti had stated that the data acquired in RTI from the town proves that Jama Masjid has been constructed at a public place. Therefore, motion must be taken right here in the identical manner as on different unlawful encroachments. Jama Masjid must be demolished.

    While giving info, metropolis Mufti spokesperson Gulzar Ahmed stated that Jama Masjid is registered with the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board. On the opposite hand, Mutawalli Haji Sufiyan of Jama Masjid says that Jama Masjid is 300 years previous. It was constructed through the Mughal interval. Now the police has registered a case in opposition to the RTI activist for inciting spiritual sentiments. There has additionally been speak of a conflict with the Banna Devi police staff, which went to serve discover to Keshav Dev.

    Police Station Banna Devi Inspector stated {that a} case has been registered in opposition to the RTI activist for inciting spiritual sentiments. In this regard, RTI activists additionally scuffled with the police who went to serve the discover.

    Bhopal Jama Masjid : The first Shiva temple was Jama Masjid of Bhopal? Hindu group claims, case reached court docket