Delhi slammed for delayed information, fined Rs.50,0000

New Delhi (IANS) - The Central Information Commission has slammed the Delhi government and asked it to pay a patient a compensation of Rs.50,000 for delay in providing him information on  free treatment in private hospitals.

Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said that in cases where information sought by a right to information (RTI) applicant pertains to "life or liberty" of the individual, the public information officer (PIO) should ensure it is provided within 48 hours.

"The instant case is reflective of the incompetence and callousness of the public authority," Gandhi said.

"This case represents how the delivery systems to the poor fail. Unless all officers and systems can respond in a time-bound manner, governance cannot deliver to those who need it most," said Gandhi.

Pooran Chand, a resident of east Delhi, filed an RTI application Aug 31, 2009, seeking information from the directorate of health services on whether he could be treated free of cost at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC)
here.

The reply was received by Chand after a delay of 12 days.

Chand, who was suffering from compression of spine and needed urgent treatment, moved the application after doctors at the ISIC informed him that his treatment would cost Rs.1.75 lakh.

The PIO of the directorate received the application Sep 2, 2009, but failed to provide him the information within 48 hours.

Due to the delay, Chand was forced to undergo treatment at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital where he incurred a heavy expenditure. He also took a loan of Rs.84,000.

"If the PIO and all the officers had acted with urgency when the RTI application was received Sep 2, 2009, and provided the information within 48 hours, the complainant may have been able to avail the free service that he was entitled to," the commission said.

Gandhi slammed the PIO and said that if the PIO had acted pro-actively the information could have been provided over telephone to the complainant who had given his contact  number on the RTI application.

"It is unfortunate that most schemes which promise to deliver to the poor fail because of lack of sensitivity in implementation," said the commission.

"The government has allotted land to certain private hospitals at nominal rates on the condition that they will provide 10 percent of the beds to poor patients. This scheme is clearly intended for the economically weaker section of the society," observed the commission.

The commission criticised the government and the hospitals for not implementing the scheme meant for poor patients.

"The allotment of land at a nominal price is actually a loss to the exchequer and a gift to the private hospitals, on the tenet that the land given to the hospitals for private profit will benefit the weaker sections of the society. However, in reality most persons for whom such scheme is intended do not enjoy its benefits due to lack of proper  implementation,"
said the commission.