In a stern move, the State Information Commission has suspended Meenu Arya, the Public Information Officer and Village Development Officer (VDO) in the Panchayati Raj Department, for failing to provide details of development works conducted in several panchayats. Along with suspension, a penalty of ₹25,000 has also been imposed on her.
The matter pertains to Devi Pura and Dyodi gram panchayats in Sitarganj block, Udham Singh Nagar district. In 2019, Arvind Nagar resident Nikhilesh Gharami filed a Right to Information (RTI) request seeking information on works carried out and resolutions passed in open meetings in eight village panchayats, including Devi Pura, Dyodi, Bidoora, Gidhaur, Khamaria, Khairana, Balkheda, and Siddhanvadiya.
Instead of providing the requested data, the Public Information Officer claimed the records were with the respective gram pradhans. Dissatisfied with the response, Nikhilesh appealed to the State Information Commission.
State Information Commissioner Yogesh Bhatt, during the hearing, summoned VDO Meenu Arya and the concerned village heads. The Commission concluded that the officer failed to discharge her duties under the RTI Act, leading to the suspension and monetary penalty.
