The Karnataka Information Commission has imposed penalty of Rs. 10,000 against Mangalore City Corporation's Health Officer Manjaiah Shetty. The commission has found him guilty of providing incomplete information about the stock inventory of drugs.
The Commission passed this order on a complaint filed by B. Prakash Bhat. On May 6, 2010, Mr. Bhat sought from the Health Department the certified copies of the stock inventory of drugs at the end of March 2009 and March 2010. Mr. Shetty filed a complaint following delay in giving the information, which was also incomplete.
In the order of September 5, Chief Information Commissioner A.K. M. Nayak said the stock inventory copies provided by Mr. Shetty did not contain the names of the drugs and its quantity. Mr. Shetty had failed to give satisfactory explanation for this lapse. “Even after pointing out the lapse, the official has failed to provide the information despite giving him time,” Mr. Nayak said. Mr. Nayak imposed a fine of Rs. 10,000 under Section 20 (1) of the Right To Information (RTI) Act. He has directed the Joint Commissioner Vijaya Kumari Shenoy to deduct Rs. 5,000 each from September and October salaries of Mr. Shetty and deposit the same in the account. She has been asked to report about the compliance to the Commission on December 15.
Warning
In another order passed on September 5, Mr. Nayak has directed Mr. Shetty to dispose the RTI applications in time.
Mr. Nayak has warned Mr. Shetty that the Commission would be forced to impose penalty in all applications brought before it complaining of delay.
