VC
Dear Experts,
I am doing social work by planting and protecting Trees and protecting environment in Hyderabad City and whenever any body cut Trees illegally i used to lodge complaint to Forest Officials.
Last year some group of persons illegally cut Trees without permission from Forest Department and I lodged complaint to local Forest Range officer(FRO) and higher officers of Forest Department to take necessary penal action as per WALTA Act and the FRO din't take any action against culprits but submitted fake enquiry report to his subordinate Forest Divisional Officer(FDO) and closed my complaint inorder to help the culprits to escape as the culprits having high political influence.
I submit that as per Indian Constitution Article 51(A) it is a duty of every citizen of India to protect eevironment.
Now i sent RTI letter to PIO, O/o The Forest Range officer, to provide the copy of the Enquiry report which is submitted to Forest Divisional Officer (FDO). The FRO did not sent me the copy of Enquiry report but he replied to my RTI letter as follows :
1) Enquiry report is submitted to FDO.
2) As per the provisions of section 8(1) J of RTI Act 2005, provided with the PIO the information sought by the applicant cannot be provided . As this an enquiry report comprising of third party recorded statements.
Can the FRO skip by not providing copy of Enquiry report ? Is the information whicg i sought comes under the provision of RTI Section 8(1) J ?
Kindly clarify my queries.
Thanks,
Naryayana Swamy.
