THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The service book of the colleague was hidden by the people in his own office for 23 years. The staff produced the book within 24 hours after the Information Commissioner took a stern stance that their services would be affected. The service book, which was not given to the wife and son for five years, was produced by officials all the way from Idukki to Trivandrum in one day.
Jayarajan's family met with this misfortune. Jayarajan was an officer in the health education campaign department at the Idukki DMO office. It is unclear whether the book was hoarded for 23 years deliberately or out of negligence. For the benefits and dependent appointment of Jayarajan, who died in 2017, his wife and son had been going to and from the government office from Nilambur to Idukki Painavu for five years.
The service book sent to the AGS office to record the promotion information in May 2000 had returned to the DMO office in July itself. But whenever Jayarajan inquired, the reply was that the book was in the AGS office. Even when he was sick, they did not give him the book. Cruel neglect despite death. To the relatives' RTI query, the officials did not hesitate to reply that the book was in the AGS office.
Then the complaint reached the bench of Information Commissioner A Abdul Hakim. The DMO office did not submit the report sought by the commission. Evidence collection was conducted at Malappuram. The commissioner warned that if the service book is not produced within 24 hours, there will be a bad remark in their own service book. By the time the commissioner returned to the chamber in the capital, officials from the Idukki office appeared with service books. The Commissioner also found that the service book returned from the AGS office was received by the Idukki DMO in July 2000 itself. The Commissioner ordered to verify the benefits immediately and send the book to the Director of Health.
Officers fined a quarter of a lakh, show-cause notice
Right to Information Commissioner A Abdul Hakim has ordered action under Sections 20 (1) and 20 (2) of the RTI act against a clerk and Public Information Officer of the Idukki DMO office for providing false information. The order is to levy a fine of Rs 25,000 and to suspend both of them and take departmental action including investigation. A show cause notice was issued to both of them. Reply should be given by March 31.