Youth finally rewarded with favorable results

Over one year long battle helps a completely disabled youth to receive the retirement benefits of his father. The cash starved family took the help of Right to Information (RTI) to seek justice. 

State Information Commissioner, Hafiz Usman, in whose court an appeal was filed, claimed that one Ramesh Chandra Verma, hailing from Gandhi Colony area of Nai Mandi in Muzaffarnagar, retired from the Electricity Department from the post of office assiatant on April 30, 2010. However, he failed to get any of the retirement benefit due to apathetic approach of his seniors. The family with little saving somehow managed to run the household till about four years but when they faced problem to have even two time meal, Ramesh’s son Sanjay Kumar, who was completely disabled decided to took the fight with the officials who deprived them of their rights.

Usman claimed that on July 11, last year, Sanjay filed a RTI with Superintending Engineer (SE)/Right to Information (RTI) Act officer of Electricity Department in Muzaffarnagar, seeking information that how much his father Ramesh, owned as gratuity, provident fund and other benefits which he should get on his retirement and that whether all the dues has been cleared by the Department. 

According to Usman, even after taking several round to Electricity Office, Sanjay failed to get any reply so he filed an appeal in his court onSeptember 15 last year. Usman claimed that he too ordered the SE to provide the information and cleared the payments but still the officials not responded so he imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the said officer and also served summon to produce him in his court. 

Usman further said that the officer even then not immediately responded but when he took serious cognizance of the matter, the said officer appeared before him earlier this week and appraised him that he cleared Rs 4,83,566 and other fund amounting to Rs 11,39,965 to the former employee Ramesh, as his retirement benefit.

SIC said that Sanjay also confirmed to have received the full benefit of Rs 16,23,526  from the Department so he closed the matter after serving strict warning to the officials that in future they must respond to RTI queries in time or be ready to face Departmental proceedings.