CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
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Decision No. CIC/SG/A/2010/001052/8124
Appeal No. CIC/SG/A/2010/001052
Relevant Facts
emerging from the Appeal:
Appellant : Mr. Om Prakash Tanwar
S/o Late Kewal Ram,
House No. 292, Dera Gaon,
New Delhi- 110074.
Respondent : Mr. Prabhat Tyagi
Public Information Officer &
Dy. Conservator of Forest (South),
Forest & Wildlife Department,
Government of NCT of Delhi,
Near Karni Singh Shooting Range,
Tughlaqabad, New Delhi-44.
RTI application filed on : 06/08/2009
PIO replied : 10/09/2009
First appeal filed on : 14/11/2009
First Appellate Authority Ordered on : 11/01/2010
Second Appeal received on : 23/04/2010
Date of Notice of Hearing : 13/05/2010
Hearing Held on : 14/06/2010
The Appellant wanted information in regard to rehabilitation of monkeys in the forest area of
Tughlakabad.
Sl. Information Sought Reply of the Public Information Officer
(PIO)
a. Approval letter of NGOs/RWA of the area from No such reports available on record.
where monkeys have been taken into possession
for release in forest of Tughlakabad range in the
last five years.
b. Copy of delivery receipts issued by the Copy of such receipts not maintained. Same
department to MCD and NDMC whenever may be obtained from the Veterinary
monkeys were delivered in the aforementioned Department of MCD.
area in the abovementioned time period.
c. Areas where monkeys are kept, if open then the The object of releasing them is to rehabilitate
mechanism used to stop them from fleeing the them in natural habitat and not subject them to
forest area. any restraint.
d. Details of last five years as to date of visit of No monkeys have been caught by this
officials(name/designation/vehicle number) to Department.
catch monkeys in the area and total number
caught.
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e. Number of monkeys present in forest area and No such reports available on record.
total number that have fled.
f. Number of people engaged in looking after the No person specifically deputed to look after the
monkeys, names, designation and salaries of last monkeys. However, they are fed by 15-20
five years. laborers who are supervised by Shri. Dharam
Singh, Dy. Range Officer, Asola Bhatti range
and Shri Kesar Singh, Forest Guard, Mali.
Salaries drawn cannot be disclosed.
g. Expenses incurred in keeping monkeys alive in Requisite information already provided.
forest range of last five years. Inspection of the books of account maybe done
and copies be obtained.
h. Number of water ponds, reservoirs created for None has been created.
providing drinking water to monkeys.
i. Copies of original bills submitted by suppliers Same as (g) above.
to the department for release of payment against
feeding material for monkeys.
j. Number of suppliers supplying feeding Feed is procured from Kendriya Bhandar
materials. Specify owners name, address and (grains/cereals) and from APMC,
reasons for selecting these agencies only for the Azadpur(Fruits/vegetables). Procuremets is
supply. being done from being reputed suppliers at
reasonable rates.
k. Any publishing done by the department inviting NO
open tender from the market with respect to
supply feeding material for the monkeys in
forest area.
l. Inspection of entire files relating to supply of Relevant records may be perused on any
feeding material bills, receipts etc., and also of working day in office. Current file relating to
living conditions of the monkeys and new procurement if unavailable due to being in
monkeys coming from different part of Delhi. submission before a higher authority shall be
made available immediately on receipt of the
same.
Grounds for the First Appeal:
No information received from the PIO within stipulated time period of 30 days.
First Appellate Authority (FAA) order:
Arrangement for Inspection be made of the concerned files/records by DCF(South)/SPIO.
Grounds for the Second Appeal:
Incomplete information provided by the PIO.
Relevant Facts emerging during Hearing:
The following were present:
Appellant : Mr. Om Prakash Tanwar;
Respondent : Mr. Prabhat Tyagi, Public Information Officer & Dy. Conservator of Forest (S);
The PIO has provided the information to the appellant. But after the inspection and
obtaining the information the appellant has a serious problem which is being highlighted. The
Respondent states that as per High Court’s order monkeys are being caught in Delhi and released
in Asola Wild Life Sanctuary which is about 7000acres. The total number of monkeys released
in the sanctuary so far is over 12000 which is far in excess of the carrying capacity of the
sanctuary. The appellant states that “these monkeys are now harassing the villagers around the
sanctuary and the exercise appears to be transferring Delhi’s problems to villagers.”
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The appellant would like to inspect the sanctuary to see the condition for which the permission
has been granted by Chief Wild Life Warden. However, this inspection has not been possible so
far because of the communication gap. The Appellant and the Respondent have agreed that the
appellant will visit and inspect the sanctuary on 16 June 2010 from 10.00am onwards. The
appellant will meet Mr. Dharam Singh, Dy. Range Officer at Bhatti Range Office at 10.00am.
The Respondent has pointed out that the monkeys in the Wild Life Sanctuary can at times be
violent and there may be some danger in visiting the sanctuary. The Appellatn states that he
understands this.
Decision:
The Appeal is disposed.
The PIO will facilitate an inspection by the appellant on 16 June 2010 at
10.00am.
This decision is announced in open chamber.
Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
Any information in compliance with this Order will be provided free of cost as per Section 7(6) of RTI Act.
Shailesh Gandhi
Information Commissioner
14 June 2010
(In any correspondence on this decision, mention the complete decision number.)(SC)
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