Many important files of the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation dating back from 1990 to 2003 kept in the basement of the UFDC headquarters were completely destroyed “due to waterlogging in the basement” following a heavy rainfall from June 17 to 19 last year.
The Corporation does not even have a list of the important documents lost.
This was revealed in the hearing of an appeal at the State Information Commission on Thursday.
Hearing an appeal of RTI Club secretary Yagya Bhushan Sharma, the State Information Commissioner Prabhat Dabral stated that this case was important as it was revealed that most of the important documents of UFDC dated 1990 to 2003 were completely destroyed with the Corporation not even having a list of the documents lost.
The information provided to the State Information Commission has nothing about any steps taken by the Corporation for listing the important documents lost nor has any official informed the SIC about this.
“The Commission finds it objectionable that inspite of all documentation of a department dated 1990 to 2003 being destroyed in a natural disaster, no attempt is made to list these documents. All the documents with any department barring those affected by Section 8 are public property and protecting such documents is the responsibility of the department as a public servant. It appears as if the department has done nothing to fulfil this responsibility. Deals worth crores of rupees are executed at the UFDC every year and such destruction of documents related to the transactions is not only an example of major carelessness but also hints at criminal intent,” stated Dabral.
Referring to the particular appeal the state information commissioner stated that as the applicant had been provided the information sought by him, the case has now become one of carelessness in documentation which is also a violation of the Act. On the next date of hearing, the UFDC managing director will appear before the commission to present his stand and a written clarification. This case has been registered for inquiry under section 18 of Right To Information Act as in the view of the commission, a department’s failure to have information about documents destroyed as in this case is a punishable act.