GUWAHATI, March 9 - The Assam Information Commission (AIC), in response to an RTI second appeal case, has opined that the implementation of the Guwahati Water Supply Project in West Guwahati, South Central Guwahati and Central Guwahati has been badly delayed.
While the West Guwahati project is being implemented by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), the Guwahati Jal Board, i.e. Guwahati Metropolitan Drinking Water and Sewerage Board, is the implementing authority in South Central Guwahati and Central Guwahati.
Opining that the three water supply projects were of vital public interest, Chief Information Commissioner HS Das, through an order issued on February 9, directed the GMDA and Guwahati Jal Board to disclose information on the present status of the implementation of the projects and copies of agreements between the contractors and the implementing agencies within 30 days through their respective websites.
Such pro-active disclosure was mandatory and binding on all public authorities under Section 4 (1) (b) of the RTI Act, 2005, an official statement said.
The Information Commission reviewed the compliance of its order by the GMDA and the Guwahati Jal Board today.
It was found that the GMDA has uploaded the sought-for information on its website, while the Guwahati Jal Board has prayed for more time to upload the information due to shortage of manpower. The Commission granted the Guwahati Jal Board time till April 20 and said it will review the matter on that day.
