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Compensation of Rs. 5 lakh: The Maharashtra State Information Commission (SCIC) has awarded a compensation of a whopping Rs. 5 lakh to a right to information applicant. The compensation is to be paid by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to Ambernath resident, Nitin Desai for the harassment meted out to him while providing information to him. The amount is the highest ever compensation given to an individual in the state as of now.
Earlier, a compensation of Rs. 1 lakh was given to a charitable trust by state chief information commission. In 2013, it became the highest ever compensation to be given till date. The Rs. 5 lakh compensation order was delivered on 30th October by the state information commissioner (konkan beach), Thanksi Thekkekara. The compensation was awarded after the applicant was first denied information and then given misleading information.
Desai had sought information on the transformer installed on his land. Around 300 sq. ft. of land was taken up to install the transformer and it could not be used. Desai sought information about the permission. The information was sought in 2012. However, MSEDCL’s public information officer (PIO) did not provide any information.
During the hearing, the PIO stated that verbal permission was taken from the applicant before using the land. The commissioner stated, as per rules, provision for verbal permission did not exist at all. During the hearing, a show cause notice was served on the PIO asking why a compensation of Rs. 20 lakh should not be provided to the applicant. During the hearing, the commission was of the view that Rs. 5 lakh compensation should be provided by public authority from its expenses and a report of the same should be given to the commission by 1st December, 2014. A fine of Rs. 25, 000 was also imposed on the PIO.
