Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Sep 28: Holding him guilty of providing insufficient information, Karnataka State Information Commission has levied a fine of Rs 10,000 on city corporation health officer, Manjaiah Shetty. Allegedly, he had provided incomplete information about the stock of medicines with the corporation to a person.

The commission took this step, after finding justification in a complaint made by a person named B Prakash Bhat. Reportedly, Prakash Bhat had sought from the health department, certified copies of the stock of medicines held with the city corporation between March 2009 and March 2010.  The information was sought on May 6, 2010. Later, he complained of getting insufficient information and delay in giving information.

In an order passed recently, state chief information commissioner, A K M Nayak, had observed that the information provided to Bhat does not contain individual names of medicines and their quantities. Even after this observation, the health officer had not come up with satisfactory explanation.

The commission, taking note of the above things, has instructed city corporation joint commissioner, Vijayakumari Shenoy, to deduct a sum of Rs 5,000 each from salary payable to Manjaiah Shetty for the months of September and October, 2011. It has also asked the concerned to submit report to the complainant before December 15.