RK Rymbai, an RTI activist from West Jaintia Hills on Tuesday served a three-day ultimatum to the Executive Engineer of PWD (Roads) Shangpung Division to provide him the information sought under RTI Act, 2005 pertaining to the different roads under the Division failing which a complaint will be lodged with the competent authority.
Addressing media persons, Rymbai alleged that the EE of PWD (Roads) D Tariang had violated the RTI Act, 2005 by refusing to provide information sought from his office.
He informed that he had filed an RTI seeking to know the name of the contractors, name of works, and amount paid to each contractor for the month June, September and December 2018, June and September 2019 and December till June 2022.
However, the EE of the PWD (Roads) had refused to provide the reply citing the provisions of the Sec 8 (i) of the RTI act 2005.
“After inquiry we have found that more work than have been sanctioned according to the estimate, they are not completed and in some places there has not been any work there” said Rymbai.
He added that the department from time to time claimed that they are engaging people to repair and maintain the roads along the Shangpung Division but in reality there has been no work hence he had filed an RTI to seek the information on the budget released by the department to contractors.
“After receiving all the RTI replies from the EE of the PWD (Road) Shangpung Division, I will lodge complaints to the Meghalaya State Lokayukta” he added.
Rymbai said that he had given three days ultimatum to the EE PWD (Road) Shangpung Division D. Tariang failing which he will lodge a complaint to the State Information Officer.