2855 Incidents of Cross Border Firing from Pakistan Claimed 109 Lives, 565 Injured in Less than 3 years

2855 Incidents of Cross Border Firing  from Pakistan Claimed 109  Lives, 565 Injured in Less than 3 years

JAMMU, 29 SEP 2018 ; In less than three years,  confrontations , including  cease fire violation and cross border firing incidents by Pakistan at International border and Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir have claimed over 109 lives of Indians including civilians and security force personals.

In the same period over 565 civilians and Indian security force personals got injured in these cross border hostilities.

The information provided by Kashmir desk of Union home ministry in response to an RTI application of information seeker Raman Sharma of Jammu reveals that as compared to previous 2 years,  2018 witnessed maximum number of cease fire violation and cross border firing incidents from Pakistan both at International border and on LoC in J and K State and 1435 cases reported alone in year 2018 till July which is maximum as compared to data of year 2016 and 2017. In year 2016 number of ceasefire violations reported were 449 [ 228 at LoC, 221 at IB] and in year 2017 the number reached 971 [ 860 at LoC and 111 at IB].

Those who got martyred in the cross border shelling incidents include 56 security force personals and 53 other civilian residents, maximum 28 civilians got martyred in 2018. These border confrontations also caused injuries to 565 Indians including 302 civilians and 263 security force personals.

It is pertinent to mention here that in Jammu and Kashmir state, the International border between India and Pakistan is guarded by BSF and LoC by Indian Army. In comparison to last 2 years the year 2018 caused maximum loss not only to civilian population but BSF also lost it’s 12 soldiers and 47 others received injuries during confrontations at International border whereas in 2016 and 2017 collectively this border force lost it’s 9 brave men and  39 others got injured.

This 2 page RTI Information is released, duly signed by Director S-JK, Kashmir desk of union home ministry vide their office letter no. 13030/2/2018-K.II dated 31/08/2018.

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IMPA Organizes Training Program on Digital India'

Jammu, 28/SEPT/2018; Jammu and Kashmir Institute of Management and Public Administration [ JKIMPA ] organized five days training program on Digital India  for senior officers from department of Industries and J and K Police.  

Dr  Sunita  Zalpuri,  the course director and Head, Centre for Good Governance and Administrative Reforms conducted  the overall  program and other faculties including  Dr Neena Bhalla Associate Professor, JKIMPA,  Lochan  Dass, former Director Treasuries, Raman Sharma, Journalist and RTI Practitioner  and  Mavi Kapoor , City Mission Manager from Urban Development Department interacted with the participating trainees.

 A detailed outlook of Digital India Campaign and its implementation in the state of Jammu and Kashmir was also demonstrated through power point presentations.     

    

The course director Dr. Sunita who is recognised trainer for e governance and has conducted number of programs on digital empowerment apprised the trainees about e-Governance Project lifecycle and legal and regulatory framework for e governance.  Practical training about online RTI application and appeal submission through rtionline.gov.in  was also featured in  the training program.

During the training session, the participating officers were made familiar about the concept of Digital India campaign launched by the government of India to ensure the government services are made available to citizens electronically by improved online infrastructure and by increasing the internet connectivity and by making the country digitally empowered in the field of technology.

 On concluding day of the training session, the trainee officers were also awarded Certificates of participation.

RTI Activists meet Advisor Ganai

Demands Appointment of Information Commissioners

Jammu, 21/Aug/2018; Recently a delegation  of RTI activists from Jammu including lawyers met Khurshid Ahmed Gani, Advisor to Governor and presented their demands through a memorandum wherein they asked for immediate appointment of members of the state information commission and organizing RTI awareness programs in educational institutions. 

In the memorandum they have also suggested to amend section 12 of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009 to clear the impediment  for appointment of the members of the Information Commission, as under present law, the appointments of Information Commissioners are to be done by Chief Minister, a Minister of the state government and leader of opposition in the Legislative Assembly.

Advisor Ganai gave a patient hearing to activists and assured them the present regime headed by governor is serious in proper implementation of the RTI Act and he would convey the concern of the activist to the governor. Taking cognizance of the another demand of the delegation regarding awareness and RTI sensitization programs, he immediately directed director school education Jammu who was also present during the meeting to organize such an event next  month involving zonal level officers of the school education department for RTI sensitization.

The delegation of activists who presented the memorandum include S.Balvinder  Singh, Convener Sangarsh RTI Movement, RTI Activist Raman Sharma , Advocate Dewaker Sharma and Advocate Hunar Gupta.

Profile of Newly Elected Governor of J & K State.

Sh. Satya Pal Malik, Honourable Governor of J & K.

To Maintain Secrecy, JKTDC Discourage RTIs with Inflated Fees Demand

To  Discourage RTI  Applicants, JKTDC demands Inflated fees

Jammu, 24/July/2018: Shying away from the transparency and accountability, the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation, JKTDC have invented a unique method to keep itself stone walled even from the Right to information Act.

RTI activist Raman Sharma have alleged that JKTDC, the state owned corporation responsible to run, manage and administer government hotels and catering establishments for promotion of Tourism and transport facilities to the tourists have made mockery of the Right to Information Act as they demand unreasonable and untimely fees which is not permissible under the RTI Law.

Citing example of his own application filed under J & K RTI Act 2009, Sharma informed that on 28/May/2018 he submitted an RTI application (via post) seeking information with regard to certified copies of bills of some purchases made by the JKTDC office Jammu and the same application was delivered to the JKTDC office Jammu on next day i.e 29/05/2018.

 He alleged that for over a month keeping a mum over  the said RTI application, under a conspiracy  to hide information from him, the Public Information Officer of the JKTDC on 04/07/2018 raised a demand of Rs 2700, rupees twenty seven hundred as Photostat charges. Which as per law is illegal and arbitrary because under the RTI law, the PIO should have provided information to the applicant within maximum limit of 30 days but under the present case the PIO  deliberately not only exceeded the stipulated period of time but unreasonably demanded exorbitant  fees of Rs 2700.

It is pertinent to mention here that as per section 7(6) of the J & K RTI Act 2009, information should be provided free of any charge where a Public Authority fails to comply the time limit of providing information or intimation of any additional fees. Instead of providing information to the applicant within time limit, the PIO not only brutally violated the RTI act but also to put a pressure on the applicant and to further discourage him from seeking information under the act asked for absolutely unreasonable fees.

Further exposing the modus operandi of the JKTDC office Jammu that how do they discourage RTI applicants to hide their malpractices from public scrutiny. The RTI activists Raman also presented another letter from the same PIO where she has raised same amount of money of Rs 2700 from another RTI applicant namely Munish Sharma for providing some other  information. Sharma alleged that the JKTDC Jammu has been exposed that they shy away from transparency and all is not well in their office and repetitive figure of Rs 2700 reveals the truth.

He also informed that he has filed 1^st appeal with the MD, JKTDC for review of arbitrary demand of the PIO of JKTDC office Jammu  and have also requested him for upgrading their website in compliance with section 4 of J & K RTI Act 2009.

Only PIOs not Responsible for Providing Information Under RTI Act

Raman Sharma

Since the inception of RTI Act in Jammu and Kashmir State i.e. from 20^th March 2009 to till date, almost a decade now, the perception and fear in the minds of the designated Public Information Officers loom in that only they are responsible for providing information to an RTI applicant and in case any delay happens in providing information to the applicant  than they may attract the penalty as enshrined under section 17 of Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009, that calls for a penalty range from  Rs. 250 to 25000 besides disciplinary action under civil services rules as applicable to the PIO. But this is not the exact case and the designated Public Information officers must visit section 5 of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009  thoroughly, of which a part is reproduced here, section 5(3) “ Every Public information officer shall deal with requests from person seeking information and render reasonable assistance to the person seeking such information”  however section 5(4) and 5(5) clearly provides a sigh of relief to the designated Public Information officers as they read as “ The PIO may seek assistance of any other officer as he/she considers it necessary for the proper discharge of his/her duties”  and “Any officer whose assistance is sought is under sub section 4 shall render all assistance to the PIO seeking  the assistance for purpose of contravention of the provisions of the act. Such other officers shall be treated as Public Information officers”.

It is pertinent to mention here that in Jammu and Kashmir state, the Public Information Officers (minimum  equivalent to rank of Under Secretaries ) are designated by the Public Authorities under section 5(1) of the act and they are suppose to provide information to an RTI applicant within stipulated period of time 30 days in general cases and 48 hours in exception cases related to life and liberty clause. But unfortunately, often there are complaints from the PIOs that they find it quite difficult to provide voluminous and old information to the applicants within stipulated period of time and in case they fail to follow the time line then the applicant move the next higher authorities to file 1^st appeal , 2^nd appeal or complaints before the state information commission and a sword of penal provision always hung around their necks as under section 17-s , it is for the PIO to prove his innocence and he had acted reasonably and diligently.

The designated PIOs also complaint of non-cooperation from their colleagues as they feel that providing information under RTI act is the sole responsibility of the PIO and the poor PIOs lacking knowledge of law seldom exercise the option available to them under section 5(4) that is to seek assistance of any officer( senior or junior) and in case the officers whose assistance the designated PIO seeks fails to help then he/she would be liable to the same penalties as they were the designated PIOs.

The fear of RTI law amongst PIO is not only because they do not want to share information or the information is not available with their offices but lack of knowledge of the remedies under RTI act make it difficult for them to dispose of RTI applications under stipulated period of time.

The PIOs if properly go through all the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009 surely they would find it much easier to dispose the RTI pleas within reasonable period of time and the innocent citizens would not be compelled to knock the door of higher authorities. Section 5 of RTI act also clearly states that Only PIOs are not responsible for providing information under RTI Act.