What privacy? To save money, TNSTC uses papers with Aadhaar details to respond to RTI queries
Sakthivel is not the only person to have received replies to RTI queries on such sheets. RTI activist Daniel Jesudass said he too received replies from TNSTC and even the Health department on such she
Published: 20th April 2021 11:12 AM
Express News Service
COIMBATORE: Little would have TNSTC driver KP Sakthivel expected that his innocuous query would expose the callousness of the corporation in handling sensitive information of its employees and members of the public.
Sakthivel, deputy general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Transport Uniformed Employees Union, said he had filed a query under RTI Act seeking details of his service record. To his shock he received a reply from the Assistant Manager of Employees and Salary Section on a one-side paper, the reverse of which had Aadhaar details. "The TNSTC is operating under loss and is trying to minimise expenses. But this is not the way to do it. Using photocopy sheets of important documents like Aadhaar in this manner is unacceptable," Sakthivel told The New Indian Express on Monday.
According to sources, staff of TNSTC are given the privilege of availing free travel for their families up to a prescribed kilometer limit once in a year. For this, they must produce Aadhaar details of family members. Besides, kin of employees seeking employment on compassionate grounds, employees filing IT returns, and members of the public, especially Persons With Disabilities, are required to produce Aadhaar details.
The TNSTC administration, it appears, has been using photocopies of Aadhaar as stationery. "This shows the callous attitude of TNSTC officials since there is a high chance that the Aadhaar information could be misused by anti-social elements. Last year, the State Information Commissioner Tamil Kumar warned TNSTC not to use photocopy sheets of Aadhaar as stationery, but the corporation is continuing the practice," Sakthivel said, adding, "The public information officer (PIO) of TNSTC should take responsibility for the gaffe and instruct officers working under him not to repeat it,"
Sakthivel is not the only person to have received replies to RTI queries on such sheets. RTI activist Daniel Jesudass said he too received replies from TNSTC and even the Health department on such sheets.
"TNSTC officials recently replied to my RTI query. It was on the reverse of letters sent by passengers and employees pointing out some issues. The TNSTC is procuring pen and paper for lakhs of rupees every month. Instead of using that they resort to such cheap practices. I suspect they are fudging the stationery purchase accounts," Jesudass said.
When contacted, Anbu Abraham Managing Director of TNSTC Coimbatore division, said that he will look into the issue and take steps to avoid such incidents from recurring in future.
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