SCIC in the dock for availing state benefitJanuary 20, 2012
State chief information commissioner (SCIC) K.S. Sripathi, a former chief secretary, has come under the scanner for availing a Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) flat in Nerkundram.
Activists have appealed to the governor to take action against Mr Sripathi as SCICs cannot receive benefits/emoluments from state governments.
He took charge as SCIC on September 1, 2010, after retiring as All India Service Officer (AISO) on April 31 that year.
C. Selvaraj of ATAC, in a complaint lodged on January 17, claimed Mr Sripathi applied to TNHB for a flat in Nerkundram under a scheme “for government officials and employees” and got it.
In a separate complaint, another activist A. Shankar said SCIC was not an AISO on October 28, 2010, when the scheme was floated or on February 28, 2011, when its guidelines were framed.
“On retiring from civil service, he ceased to be a government employee and hence his claim to a flat is an effort to ‘acquire other interests’ as per section 17(3)(e) of RTI Act 2005,” Mr Selvaraj said, demanding Mr Sripathi’s removal.
SCIC, however, denied being a beneficiary of the Ne-rkundram scheme. “Every-thing has been done legally,” he told DC.
Showing posts with label deccan chroncile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deccan chroncile. Show all posts
Friday, January 20, 2012
state chief information commissioner (SCIC) K.S. Sripathi has come under scanner
Oral orders given for flat allotment
January 20, 2012 By G. JAGANNATH DC chennai
Tamil Nadu Housing Board’s Own Your Housing scheme for government officers and employees in Nerkundram had been embroiled in a controversy since its launch. A public interest litigation is pending in the Madras high court challenging the scheme.
Allotment of a flat in Nerkundram to state chief information commissioner (SCIC) K.S. Sripathi has come under scanner following complaints made by activists C. Selvaraj of ATAC and A. Shankar.
According to TNHB sources, allotment for retired IAS and IPS officers were made following verbal instruction from the higher-ups.
Besides, Mr Sripathi, retired DGPs K. P. Jain and V. Balachandran were also allotted flats in Nerkundram after their retirement from the service, RTI activist V. Gopalakrishnan said.
“The verbal instructions were given to set a cut off date on which day the then state housing minister Suba Thangavelan made the announcement about the scheme in the Assembly,” the official said.
TNHB officials said the Nerkundram scheme was meant only for the serving government officials and employees.
The guideline for Own Your Housing scheme for government officials and employees issued by the housing and urban development department on February 28, 2011, clearly states that the allotment can be availed only by government employees.
“The guideline did not mention any thing about the retired employees availing allotment under the scheme,” Mr Gopalakrishnan said
January 20, 2012 By G. JAGANNATH DC chennai
Tamil Nadu Housing Board’s Own Your Housing scheme for government officers and employees in Nerkundram had been embroiled in a controversy since its launch. A public interest litigation is pending in the Madras high court challenging the scheme.
Allotment of a flat in Nerkundram to state chief information commissioner (SCIC) K.S. Sripathi has come under scanner following complaints made by activists C. Selvaraj of ATAC and A. Shankar.
According to TNHB sources, allotment for retired IAS and IPS officers were made following verbal instruction from the higher-ups.
Besides, Mr Sripathi, retired DGPs K. P. Jain and V. Balachandran were also allotted flats in Nerkundram after their retirement from the service, RTI activist V. Gopalakrishnan said.
“The verbal instructions were given to set a cut off date on which day the then state housing minister Suba Thangavelan made the announcement about the scheme in the Assembly,” the official said.
TNHB officials said the Nerkundram scheme was meant only for the serving government officials and employees.
The guideline for Own Your Housing scheme for government officials and employees issued by the housing and urban development department on February 28, 2011, clearly states that the allotment can be availed only by government employees.
“The guideline did not mention any thing about the retired employees availing allotment under the scheme,” Mr Gopalakrishnan said
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
RTI cases pile up, state yet to panel vacancies
RTI cases pile up, state yet to panel vacancies
November 1st, 2010
DC Correspondent
Chennai, Oct. 31: Seven posts of state information commissioner are vacant in the Tamil Nadu Information Commission despite a large backlog of RTI applications.
With the passing away of T.R. Ramasamy and retirement of S. Ramakrishnan, the commission has only three commissioners in R. Perumalsamy, T. Srinivasan and Sarada Nambi Arooran. State chief information commissioner K.S. Sripathy heads the commission.
Of the 10 sanctioned posts of information commissioner, only five have been filled since the creation of the commission.
The government has not filled the seven other posts, despite large pendency of RTI appeals with the commission.
RTI activist R. Gopalakrishnan said that with the increasing pendency of the cases, the work burden of the commissioners increases and it also affects their performance. He said the government should immediately take steps to fill up the vacant posts without any further delay. “Rather than filling up the post with retired bureaucrats, the government should give opportunities to RTI activists,” he said. FACT India general secretary T. Retna Pandian said that with appointment of bureaucrats as commissioners, RTI applicants are being denied information by the commission.
He said that now the commission has become defunct with the cases taking years to be heard by the commissioners.
November 1st, 2010
DC Correspondent
Chennai, Oct. 31: Seven posts of state information commissioner are vacant in the Tamil Nadu Information Commission despite a large backlog of RTI applications.
With the passing away of T.R. Ramasamy and retirement of S. Ramakrishnan, the commission has only three commissioners in R. Perumalsamy, T. Srinivasan and Sarada Nambi Arooran. State chief information commissioner K.S. Sripathy heads the commission.
Of the 10 sanctioned posts of information commissioner, only five have been filled since the creation of the commission.
The government has not filled the seven other posts, despite large pendency of RTI appeals with the commission.
RTI activist R. Gopalakrishnan said that with the increasing pendency of the cases, the work burden of the commissioners increases and it also affects their performance. He said the government should immediately take steps to fill up the vacant posts without any further delay. “Rather than filling up the post with retired bureaucrats, the government should give opportunities to RTI activists,” he said. FACT India general secretary T. Retna Pandian said that with appointment of bureaucrats as commissioners, RTI applicants are being denied information by the commission.
He said that now the commission has become defunct with the cases taking years to be heard by the commissioners.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
RTI petitioner faces the heat from goons March 23rd, 2009 By Our Correspondent
RTI petitioner faces the heat from goons
March 23rd, 2009
By Our Correspondent
Chennai/Vellore, March 22: A RTI petition to seek information about distribution of financial assistance under various welfare schemes like old and widow pensions to the beneficiaries in Vellore taluk limit has invited goons for the help of revenue officials to hush up the petitioner.
Having come to know about malpractices in implementing welfare schemes in Vellore taluk office, an RTI activist and resident of Chennai, V. Gopalakrishnan, petitioned the public information officer (PIO) of Vellore tahsildar office seeking details about the list of beneficiaries of the welfare schemes. The petition was filed on February 11 this year.
The petitioner urged that he be furnished a photocopy of the application, enquiry records, reports of village administration officer (VAO) and revenue inspector (RI), office note and sanction order in respect of the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes from October 2008 to January 2009. This includes pensions to physical handicapped, OAPs and widows.
When he sent the reply to Gopalakrishnan asking him to remit Rs 21,608 to get the details, tashildar S. Thangavelu may have violated the RTIO Act as he was not the PIO or authenticating official to reply to the RTI petition. Following the letter on March 12, two persons claiming to be real estate dealers allegedly came to the petitioner’s house and working place in Chennai.
They informed Gopalakrishnan that they were sent by Vaniyambadi tashildar Sharmila Jayakumar, who was then SSS tashildar in Vellore during the period for which the petitioner sought the information.
They threatened him of dire consequence, if he did not withdraw the RTI petition.
“The two had also been to my house when I was not there. Telling me that Sharmila Jayakumar has sent them, the two said we could arrive at an amicable solution. I have video proof of the threat,” said the petitioner, adding that he immediately mailed the chief minister’s cell, chief information commissioner of Tamil Nadu information commission and district collector on the incident seeking protection for him and his family.
Meantime, an application was filed under RTI Act by his cousin Laxmanan urging the district administration to furnish the details about the properties of Tashildar Sharmila Jayakumar on February 9. But no reply has been provided till date, he said. District collector C. Rajendran said, “I will enquire into the matter and take appropriate action against errant officials.”
March 23rd, 2009
By Our Correspondent
Chennai/Vellore, March 22: A RTI petition to seek information about distribution of financial assistance under various welfare schemes like old and widow pensions to the beneficiaries in Vellore taluk limit has invited goons for the help of revenue officials to hush up the petitioner.
Having come to know about malpractices in implementing welfare schemes in Vellore taluk office, an RTI activist and resident of Chennai, V. Gopalakrishnan, petitioned the public information officer (PIO) of Vellore tahsildar office seeking details about the list of beneficiaries of the welfare schemes. The petition was filed on February 11 this year.
The petitioner urged that he be furnished a photocopy of the application, enquiry records, reports of village administration officer (VAO) and revenue inspector (RI), office note and sanction order in respect of the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes from October 2008 to January 2009. This includes pensions to physical handicapped, OAPs and widows.
When he sent the reply to Gopalakrishnan asking him to remit Rs 21,608 to get the details, tashildar S. Thangavelu may have violated the RTIO Act as he was not the PIO or authenticating official to reply to the RTI petition. Following the letter on March 12, two persons claiming to be real estate dealers allegedly came to the petitioner’s house and working place in Chennai.
They informed Gopalakrishnan that they were sent by Vaniyambadi tashildar Sharmila Jayakumar, who was then SSS tashildar in Vellore during the period for which the petitioner sought the information.
They threatened him of dire consequence, if he did not withdraw the RTI petition.
“The two had also been to my house when I was not there. Telling me that Sharmila Jayakumar has sent them, the two said we could arrive at an amicable solution. I have video proof of the threat,” said the petitioner, adding that he immediately mailed the chief minister’s cell, chief information commissioner of Tamil Nadu information commission and district collector on the incident seeking protection for him and his family.
Meantime, an application was filed under RTI Act by his cousin Laxmanan urging the district administration to furnish the details about the properties of Tashildar Sharmila Jayakumar on February 9. But no reply has been provided till date, he said. District collector C. Rajendran said, “I will enquire into the matter and take appropriate action against errant officials.”
RTI activists use hi-tech gadgets in fight for rights May 3rd, 2009 By Our Correspondent
RTI activists use hi-tech gadgets in fight for rights
May 3rd, 2009
By Our Correspondent
Vellore, May 2: A number of RTI activists have turned tech-savvy by adopting high-end gadgets to exposae malpractices and corruption in the public and private sectors.
Nearly 20 to 30 activists in Chennai, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts have been using gadgets such as spy cam (pen and button type with 4 GB storage capacity), spy cam (antenna model) annexed in laptops, micro voice recorders, mobile camera and mobile video recorders.
“I have been using pen-type spy camera. I can record continuously for one-and-a-half hours as the tiny device comes with a rechargeable battery with 4 GB storage facility,” said Mr V. Gopalakrishnan, an RTI activist, who exposed corruption in implementing welfare schemes in Vellore taluk office using the device.
The devices also play the role of self-protection gears for the activists, he said, adding, “When I filed an RTI application seeking information about the list of beneficiaries in welfare schemes in Vellore taluk office, two persons had approached and threatened me to withdraw the petition. But I recorded their speech using the pen-type spy camera without their knowledge and took the issue to higher officials and the police department.”
Mr Gopalakrishnan and three of his friends have also been using an antenna-type spy cam and static camera at a visiting room in their respective house or office. Mr Vinod Jain, member of FACT India, said the modern devices have been of great help to get justice. Around 10 co-members of the organisation have been using the devices during sting operations to expose malpractices, misuse of power and corruption in public and private sectors.
Lack of knowledge about the devices among the officials helps us to expose the corruption, he said. Finding the trendy spy cam handy to uncover malpractices and create crucial evidence to bring the truth to light, the activists and members of several NGOs are going for it.
May 3rd, 2009
By Our Correspondent
Vellore, May 2: A number of RTI activists have turned tech-savvy by adopting high-end gadgets to exposae malpractices and corruption in the public and private sectors.
Nearly 20 to 30 activists in Chennai, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts have been using gadgets such as spy cam (pen and button type with 4 GB storage capacity), spy cam (antenna model) annexed in laptops, micro voice recorders, mobile camera and mobile video recorders.
“I have been using pen-type spy camera. I can record continuously for one-and-a-half hours as the tiny device comes with a rechargeable battery with 4 GB storage facility,” said Mr V. Gopalakrishnan, an RTI activist, who exposed corruption in implementing welfare schemes in Vellore taluk office using the device.
The devices also play the role of self-protection gears for the activists, he said, adding, “When I filed an RTI application seeking information about the list of beneficiaries in welfare schemes in Vellore taluk office, two persons had approached and threatened me to withdraw the petition. But I recorded their speech using the pen-type spy camera without their knowledge and took the issue to higher officials and the police department.”
Mr Gopalakrishnan and three of his friends have also been using an antenna-type spy cam and static camera at a visiting room in their respective house or office. Mr Vinod Jain, member of FACT India, said the modern devices have been of great help to get justice. Around 10 co-members of the organisation have been using the devices during sting operations to expose malpractices, misuse of power and corruption in public and private sectors.
Lack of knowledge about the devices among the officials helps us to expose the corruption, he said. Finding the trendy spy cam handy to uncover malpractices and create crucial evidence to bring the truth to light, the activists and members of several NGOs are going for it.
Tainted engineer may head TNEB firm August 4th, 2010 DC Correspondent
Tainted engineer may head TNEB firm
August 4th, 2010
DC Correspondent
Aug. 3: An engineer indicted in connection with the theft of underground cables worth Rs 94.37 lakh is being considered for the post of managing director of the Tamil Nadu electricity board’s proposed generation and distribution company.
Copies of documents available with Deccan Chronicle show that the executive engineer was among the 20 staff members against whom the TNEB chairman ordered action on September 2, 2007, for theft of 42,469 metres of underground cable during 2005-06. The theft came to light when the chairman’s flying squad inspected the records of cable stores at Kadaperi, Tambaram.
As per the records, low tension cables measuring 42,469 metres were issued to seven operation and management sections of Chennai electricity division circle (CEDC), South, from August 2005 to December 2006 without approval from the authorities.
This was documented in the investigation report submitted by chief internal audit officer, C. Chandramohan, a copy of which is available with DC.
While 14 section engineers were indicted of being indirectly responsible for the malpractice, P. Murugan, then a store supervisor, was accused of “committing malpractice” deliberately. However, Mr Murugan retired from service on May 31, 2007, without serving any punishment.
In reply to the RTI petition filed by V. Gopalakrishnan of the federation of anti-corruption teams, the TNEB said that only charges had been framed against officials and disciplinary proceedings had not been taken as yet.
Departmental action was recommended against them including recovering the cost of the cables.
August 4th, 2010
DC Correspondent
Aug. 3: An engineer indicted in connection with the theft of underground cables worth Rs 94.37 lakh is being considered for the post of managing director of the Tamil Nadu electricity board’s proposed generation and distribution company.
Copies of documents available with Deccan Chronicle show that the executive engineer was among the 20 staff members against whom the TNEB chairman ordered action on September 2, 2007, for theft of 42,469 metres of underground cable during 2005-06. The theft came to light when the chairman’s flying squad inspected the records of cable stores at Kadaperi, Tambaram.
As per the records, low tension cables measuring 42,469 metres were issued to seven operation and management sections of Chennai electricity division circle (CEDC), South, from August 2005 to December 2006 without approval from the authorities.
This was documented in the investigation report submitted by chief internal audit officer, C. Chandramohan, a copy of which is available with DC.
While 14 section engineers were indicted of being indirectly responsible for the malpractice, P. Murugan, then a store supervisor, was accused of “committing malpractice” deliberately. However, Mr Murugan retired from service on May 31, 2007, without serving any punishment.
In reply to the RTI petition filed by V. Gopalakrishnan of the federation of anti-corruption teams, the TNEB said that only charges had been framed against officials and disciplinary proceedings had not been taken as yet.
Departmental action was recommended against them including recovering the cost of the cables.
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