Central Information Commission
Mrmeeta Sharma vs Ministry Of Environment & Forests on 26 March, 2015
CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
(Room No.315, BWing, August Kranti Bhawan, Bhikaji Cama Place, New Delhi 110 066)
Prof. M. Sridhar Acharyulu (Madabhushi Sridhar)
Information Commissioner
CIC/SA/A/2014/001213
(Video Conference)
Mr Meeta Sharma v. PIO, ARID Forest Research Institution.
Important Dates and time taken:
RTI: 17.2.2014 Reply: 3314 Time: 16 days
FAA: 11.4.2014 FAO: 5.5.2014 Time: 25 days
SA: 7.8.2014 Hearing:23.4.2014 Decision: 26032015
Result: Disposed of
Observation:
Parties Present:
Both the parties are present video conference at the NIC centre at Jodhpur. The Public
Authority is represented by Dr. Tarun Kant.
FACTS:
2. Appellant though his RTI application had sought for the copy of minutes of meeting of pre thesis submission seminar of Ms. Anchal Sharma, copy of her theses, all correspondence of research work since inception til date, rules & regulation of research work taken by DUC and MOU CIC/SA/A/2014/001213 Page 1 signed between ICFRE & DUC regarding the research work to be taken by the scholars. CPIO Transfer the application to Dr S.I Ahamad. On not receiving any reply from the respondent authority, the appellant made first appeal. First appellate authority disposed of the appeal by stating that information sought in point no 1 is a third party information and for rest enclosed the copy of document sought. Being unsatisfied with the FAA order, The appellant approached the Commission through this Second Appeal.
Proceedings Before the Commission:
3. Both the parties made their submissions through video conference from Jodhpur. The appellant submitted that she was working on some project under a supervisor Dr.S.I. Ahmed, under whom one Ms.Anchal Sharma is also working in the AFRI(Arid Forest Research Institute) which is controlled by the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. But the said Ms. Anchal Sharma cunningly took the theme from her research work and submitted the thesis to the FRI, which is a deemed university. She came to know about this, when the meeting for award of Ph.D was held and Ms.Anchal Sharma's thesis was being discussed. She immediately wrote to the Nodal CPIO of the FRI to supply a copy of the thesis of Ms. Anchal Sharma, in order check with her theses, but the respondent authority have not supplied so far. The CPIO of the AFRI who is present in the studio at Jodhpur, for video conference, stated that they have also written to the Nodal CPIO of the FRI, Dehradun, but so far they have not sent the thesis of the Ms. Anchal Sharma. The Commission, having heard the submissions and having perused the entire record thoroughly, directs the Nodal CPIO, FRI, Dehradun to furnish the copy of the thesis of Ms. Anchal Sharma by collecting the costs from the appellant, within one month from the date of receipt of this order. The Commission also directs the Nodal CPIO to coordinate and get the information and treat the RTI application as a complaint and furnish a comprehensive action taken report to the Commission with a copy to the appellant, covering the points raised by the appellant in her RTI application, within one month from the date of receipt of this order. The Commission orders accordingly.
CIC/SA/A/2014/001213 Page 2
(M.Sridhar Acharyulu)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy
(Babu Lal)
Deputy Registrar
Addresses of the parties:
1. The CPIO under the RTI Act, Govt. of India
Ministry of Environment and Forests, Arid Forest Research Institute, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, PO-Krishi Upaz Mandi, New Pali Road, JODHPUR -342005
2. Dr. Meeta Sharma Room No.24, Deptt. Of Forests, Arid Forest Research Institute, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, PO-Krishi Upaz Mandi, New Pali Road, JODHPUR -342005
3. The CPIO under the RTI act, Govt of India Forest Research Institute, P.O. New Forest- Dehradun (India) Fax :+91 135-2756865 Telephone : (+91 135-2755277) CIC/SA/A/2014/001213 Page 3