File missing,Transport dept in auto scrap soup

Reason: officials cannot find the file with details about the terms and policy regarding selection and appointment of the contractor.

The facts about the ‘missing file’ emerged in two separate Right To Information (RTI) replies. What also came to light was the Transport department’s ignorance about several important aspects of the contract given to Friends Movers and Packers Pvt Ltd,located at Suraj Mal Vihar in East Delhi.

With the file missing,the officials do not know exactly how much an auto-rickshaw owner was to be paid,while there are claims that the money disbursed depends on the contractor’s wishes.

The company,situated next to the area Transport Authority,is the only agency that has the the contract for scrapping auto-rickshaws that are old and polluting. The department has also provided the 1,000-square metre land with free power and water supply.

The separate RTI appeals by Rakesh Agarwal and Om Prakash Tiwari before the Central Information Commission (CIC) opened the can of worms. The reply from the department revealed that its officials knew almost nothing about its pact with the agency because they did not know where the files were.

Appearing before Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi in both the matters,Transport department officials said they were unable to provide details about the contract with the agency as the file listing the terms and conditions,as also the period for which the contract is valid,has been “stolen or lost”.

The revelation came as one of the applicants contended that there was no mode available to the vehicle owners to find out what amount they were entitled to get after the scrapping.

Calling it an “intriguing state of affairs,” Information Commissioner Gandhi said during a recent hearing,“A monopoly has been given to the contractor. In 2007,he was paying Rs 7,000 and is now paying Rs 5,000 to auto-rickshaw owner (for per unit scrapped). There is no record of the amount which the contractor is to pay the owner and this entire transaction is continuing based on terms and condition that the contactor wishes.”

Tiwari claimed that lack of control by the authorities meant the instead of scrapping,the parts were dismantled and sold in the market. Agarwal,during his hearing,contended that if the department has failed in tracking the files created in 2006,the entire purpose behind maintaining files and records under the RTI Act was defeated.

Finding itself in soup,the department said it was contemplating converting the agency’s “monopoly contract” into perpetual ownership of the right along with the land.

Information Commissioner Gandhi,who had already asked the department to get an FIR registered into the case of missing file,then directed officials to reconstruct the file and submit a report to the Commission by May 10.

With phaseout off charts,auto drivers call off strike
With the Delhi government reconsidering its plans to phase out three-wheelers from city roads,auto-rickshaw drivers have called off the strike that was planned for April 1,members of autorickshaw driver’s unions said.

The union members,who had sent out a directive to all auto drivers across the city,called off the strike on Wednesday after meeting Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely.

Lovely said,“We have no plans to phase out autos as of now. If the autorickshaw drivers forcibly go on strike,we will impound the vehicles of erring drivers.”

Kishen Verma,president of the Federation of All Delhi Autos and Taxis,said,“Now that the Transport Minister has assured us autos will not be phased out and has also agreed to discuss other issues like revision of fares and pollution certification,the strike planned for tomorrow has been called off.” —ENS