Central Information Commission
CIC/AD/A/2010/000618
CIC/AD/A/2010/000619
Dated June 4, 2010
Name of the Applicant : Shri Ram Bahadur Rai
Name of the Public Authority : RDSO, Lucknow
Background
CIC/AD/A/2010/000618
1. The Applicant filed an RTI application dt.29.9.09 with the PIO, RDSO, Lucknow
requesting for sample of PVC vinyl flooring i.e CG12 Rev1 and Vinyl Coated Upholstery
Fabric i.e CG07 from all the railways from the supplies of both these items received
during the period 1.5.09 to 23.10.09 or prior to that from the stocks the railways have. He
added that samples should contain material description, purchase order no. and date,
date of receipt of material in the stores, store voucher/challan No. and date of issue to the
user. Shri Shailendra Singh replied on 19.10.09 stating that vide letter dt.27.4.09
addressed to Railways, Railways have been requested to preserve the samples at their
(consignee) end for two years and not in RDSO. So, if the Applicant wished to take
samples from the supplies received by various railways, he may send his request to the
concerned railway. If the Applicant desires that samples are to be collected by RDSO
and handed over to him, charges for collection of the samples have to be borne by the
Applicant. Not satisfied with the reply, The Applicant filed an appeal dt.3.11.09 with the
Appellate Authority stating that no information has been received by him till date. On not
receiving any reply from the Appellate Authority, the Applicant filed a second appeal
dt.26.2.10 before CIC stating that he was informed by PIO on 10.2.10 that since he had
not deposited the cost, action could not be taken from their end and reiterated his request
for the information.
CIC/AD/A/2010/000619
2. The applicant filed an RTI application dt.13.5.09 with the PIO, RDSO, Lucknow
requesting for the following information:
i) To provide names and addresses of the approved companies by the department
for supply of vinyl coated upholstery fabric for AC and Non AC coaches to upgraded
specification No.RDSO/2008/CG 07. This should include the details of the companies
who have been registered as an approved source since 1.11.08 till date.
ii) To provide information with respect to the sampling and testing reports of all
manufacturers including
a) Detailed log book of test reports done at RDSO
b) Test results if any done outside RDSO
c) Designation and name of the person who has done the tests and signed
the approval
d) Was there any test done to certify that the polyester knit is heat set? If
so, provide details with certified reports.
e) Date of the receipt of the samples and the date of approval
f) Samples also are tested at manufacturers' end. Provide a copy of all the
test results done at manufacturers’ end along with the name and
designation of the person who has certified the results from RDSO.
iii) To provide a sample of material (i.e. vinyl coated upholstery fabric) supplied by
each of the above manufacturers for testing. In case the department does not have the
sample, to get it from the manufacturer with a clear direction that the sample must meet
all specifications as per earlier sample which has been tested by RDSO and on the basis
of which they have been registered as approved source or alternatively.
Shri Shailendra Singh replied on 31.8.09 enclosing the name and address of the
companies which supply the vinyl coated upholstery Fabric for AC and Non AC coaches
to upgraded specification and have been registered as approved source since 1.11.08
along with detailed test reports done at RDSO, outside labs, manufacturer’s end and
other related documents. He however, added that samples of the material on which tests
were conducted could not be provided as the samples had been consumed during testing
in testing labs. He further added that letters had been written to each manufacturer to
provide samples along with their consent and to hand over the same to the Appellant. Not
satisfied with the reply The applicant filed an appeal dt.21.10.09 with the Appellate
Authority stating that the sample he had requested for belongs to the government as
RDSO is testing the material at public cost and therefore it cannot be considered as third
party information and prayed that PIO be directed to provide the sample free of cost. Shri
Pankaj Jain, Appellate Authority replied on 3.12.09 informing the Applicant that available
information has already been furnished to him and reiterating that no samples as sought
by the Applicant are not available with RDSO as the same are destroyed or returned to
the Public Authority after completion of testing. Not satisfied with the reply, the Applicant
filed a second appeal dt.26.2.10 before CIC reiterating his request for the information.
3. The Bench of Mrs. Annapurna Dixit, Information Commissioner, scheduled the hearing
for June 4, 2010 through both video and audo conferencing.
4. Shri D.K.Agarwal, PIO & Executive Director and Shri Shailendra Singh, Director
(Carriage) representing the Public Authority were present at NIC Studio, Lucknow and
were heard through video conferencing .
5. The Applicant was represented by Shri Neeraj who was heard through audio
conferencing .
Decision
6. The Commission on perusal of documents on record and after hearing both sides directs
the PIO to transfer both the RTI applications to all the concerned Zonal Railways where
the different samples are available with the direction to provide the required samples (one
sq. meters in area of material from material supplied by each of the manufacturers and
one sample only from material furnished by each manufacturer) in both cases as
mentioned hereinabove, each sample certified by the Public Authority as having been
tested , free of cost to the Appellant by end July, 2010. The PIO is also directed to
forward a copy of this order to all the Zonal Railways from where samples are being
sought, along with copies of the two RTI applications.
7. The appeals are accordingly disposed of.
(Annapurna Dixit)
Information Commissioner
Authenticated true copy:
(G.Subramanian)
Deputy Registrar
Cc:
1. Shri Ram Bahadur Rai
5/118, Rachna
Single Storey, Vaishali
Ghaziabad 201 012
Uttar Pradesh
2. The PIO
Research Design &
Standards Organization
Manak Nagar
Lucknow 226 011
3. The Appellate Authority
Research Design &
Standards Organization
Manak Nagar
Lucknow 226 011
4. Officer incharge, NIC
5. Press E Group, CIC