NEW DELHI: A poor prisoner in Kolhapur in
Maharashtra had to approach the CIC for a simple piece of information -
the PIN code directory of postal department - as he did not have access
to Internet to know the correct code for sending letters to his family.
Taking cognisance of humanitarian issues
involved in the plea, Information Commissioner Basant Seth directed the postal
department to provide a printout of the PIN code directory to
Jitendra Anandrao Chouhan free of cost.
In a sad commentary on the hassles faced by
RTI applicants while seeking information, Chauhan was not provided with
All India PIN code directory by postal department as it claimed that
after digitisation it has done away with providing hard copy.
Chauhan pleaded that he is a poor person who
is lodged in jail and has no access to computers but the postal
department officials did not budge and kept telling him that the only way
he can access PIN codes is through Internet.
He kept telling the postal department that
great hardships are being faced by him and other prisoners as many times
the letters mailed by them are returned undelivered for the want of
PIN codes.
Chauhan also told the postal department that
poor prisoners have no means for communicating with the family other than
letters but postal authorities did not furnish requisite information to
him or find a way to solve the problem faced by prisoners.
"The appellant has submitted that
poor prisoners face great hardships in sending letters to their family
members as they have no access to the PIN code directory displayed on
India Post web site. This is, therefore, a humanitarian issue
concerning larger public interest since the prisoners face hardship in
communicating with their families," Seth said.
He asked the postal department to look into
the issue and take appropriate steps to provide access to PIN codes to
prisoners lodged in various jails.
Source : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
