Public-funded body can't afford to be apathetic to staff:CIC

New Delhi, Nov 05 (UNI) Acting on the complaint of an employee of the All India Radio (AIR) who has not been regularised even after 12 years of service, the Central Information Commission (CIC) has directed the Director General to review the grievance redressal mechanism and supply the required information to him within 15 days.

''Being a public-funded organisation, the AIR cannot afford not to take care of its employee,'' the DG was told.

Prakash Khemchandani, appointed Translator-cum-Announcer (Sindhi) in the External Services Division of AIR 12 years ago had sought to know from the authorities when he would be regularised, why a normal procedure was taking so long and who were the officials responsible for the delay.

After, he failed to get a satisfactory reply from the CPIO, he approached the appellate authority which in an interim reply told him that the information would be supplied in due course but despite passage of a considerable time he is yet to get it.

Pulling up the AIR Administration for being apathetic to the grievances of the employee, the CIC said: ''The complaint of the employees could be duly redressed within the reasonable time frame, lest, they should be constrained to resort to the provisions of the RTI Act, for exposing inefficiency in the administration of the respondent and virtual harassment of staff.'' It also said a major concern of the RTI Act is to promote good governance across the public authorities, hence, the matter was of serious concern to the Commission also. The appeal in question could have been avoided had there been efficient handling of the issue raised by the appellant.

''Without assuring personal and professional well-being of the staff, it is not understandable how an organisation can progress or justify its existence on public funds, ''the Commission said.

UNI