BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Information Commission (OIC) has advised the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to hold a transparency week in each ward to facilitate dissemination of information among citizens. The recommendation is significant as it could give citizens a better idea of the functioning of their civic body at micro level. The Commission, while hearing an appeal, said the Corporation might as well consider observing a transparency week during which information can be disseminated either in respective ward offices or in collaboration with the citizens’ welfare associations. Information on ward-wise collection of tax and licence fees, details of the development projects undertaken, sanitation works and cleaning measures could be circulated by the BMC during the week. A segregated ward-wise information system could be put in place which, in future, would form the basis of social audit exercise, Information Commissioner Jagadananda stated in the order. The order came in pursuance of an appeal filed by one Binayak Rath against the BMC. The applicant has been filing numerous RTI applications __ at least 342 in number and another 108 are under consideration of the Corporation PIO __ for information on the civic body. While the OIC felt that the complainant must seek specific information, it also directed the BMC deputy commissioner, the first appellate authority, to fix a date on which the applicant can be given access to the information. Disposing of the application, the Commission asked the civic body to ensure that all RTI-related information of public interest is made available on public domain through suo motu disclosure window. This, the Information Commissioner observed, would minimise the workload of the corporation. Besides data, which have already been accessed through RTI, can be made available on public domain to avoid duplication of work. The OIC also asked the BMC to put in place a mechanism for rigorous monitoring of the receipt and disposal of RTI applications by making an assessment of the ‘Form F’ register. Form F deals with receipt and disposal of RTI applications. In the order, the OIC also felt that it is time the Housing and Urban Development Department framed the guidelines on Transparency Law for the urban local bodies as per the Odisha Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2008. The Department has been asked to issue comprehensive operational guidelines in 45 days.
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