ಮಂಗಳೂರು ಎಸ್ ಇ ಝಡ್ ಕಂಪೆನಿ ಆರ್ ಟಿ ಐ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಗೆ

ನೇತ್ರಾವತಿ ನದಿನೀರಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಪಟ್ಟಂತೆ ಮಂಗಳೂರು ಎಸ್ ಇ ಝಡ್ ಕಂಪೆನಿ ಎ ಎಂ ಆರ್ ಕಂಪೆನಿಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡ ಒಪ್ಪಂದದ ಪ್ರತಿಯನ್ನು ಮಾಹಿತಿ ಹಕ್ಕಿನಡಿ ನಾನು ಕೇಳಿದಾಗ, ಕಂಪೆನಿ ನನಗೆ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ನೀಡಲು ತಿರಸ್ಕರಿಸಿತ್ತು. ಪ್ರಕರಣ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ಹಕ್ಕು ಆಯೋಗದ ಎದುರಿಗೆ ವಿಚಾರಣೆಗೆ ಬಂದಾಗ ಕಂಪೆನಿ ತನ್ನನ್ನು ಮಾಹಿತಿ ಹಕ್ಕಿನ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಹೊರಗಿಡಬೇಕೆಂದು ಮನವಿ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿತ್ತು. ಇದಕ್ಕೆ ಬೆಂಬಲವಾಗಿ ಅದು ಮಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಖ್ಯಾತ ವಕೀಲ ಶ್ರೀ ಎಂ. ಶಂಕರ ಭಟ್ಟರ ಕಾನೂನು ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯವನ್ನೂ ಲಗತ್ತಿಸಿತ್ತು.
ಮೊದಲು ಮಡಿಕೇರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ, ನಂತರ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹೀಗೆ ಎರಡು ಸಲ ವಿಚಾರಣೆ ನಡೆದು ಈಗ ಆಯೋಗದ ತೀರ್ಪು ಹೊರಬಿದ್ದಿದೆ. ಅದನ್ನು ಯಥಾವತ್ತಾಗಿ ಮುಂದೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೇನೆ.
14-10-2010
1. Petitioner is present.
2. Complaint was last heard on 05-06-2010, when the Commission directed the Respondent to file the copies of balance sheets of Mangalore SEZ for last 3 years to enable the Commission to decide whether the Company is substantially financed by the Government and whether it is a public authority under the provision of Right to Information Act 2005 or not.
3. In his letter dated 22nd July 2010 to Commission, Sri A.G.Pai, ED&COO, Mangalore SEZ Ltd., has furnished the copies of the balance sheets.
4. In his letter dated 12th October 2010 to the Commission, Sri Ramachandra Bhandarkar, PIO & PRO, Mangalore SEZ has requested the Commission to adjourn the case by two weeks and he also states that in the meanwhile he is seeking legal opinion.
5. Commission noted that request for information was received on 19-12-2009, case was posted for hearing on 05-06-2010, Respondent was allowed time to file copies of Balance Sheets, Respondent filed copies of Balance Sheets on 22nd July 2010. Since no information is provided till today i.e., till 14-12-2010 for nearly twelve months, Commission considers the delay is considerable and it didn't agree with the request of the Respondent to adjourn the case for another two weeks. Hence Commission decides to proceed with the case treating Respondent ex-parte.
6. In his letter dated 06-10-2010 to the Commission, Petitioner has produced documents such as Annual report of M/s ONGC for the year 2008-09 and 2009-10 wherein ONGC has recorded that it has got a share holding of Rs. 13 crores in M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd. He has also produced documents to show that KIADB has got Rs. 11.27 crore share capital in M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd.
7. Commission noted that ONGC had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Governemt of Karnataka to jointly develop the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near Mangalore through Special Purpose Vehicle(SPV) consequently with the appproval of the cabinet, the SPV known as M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd. has been incorporated during February 2006 with a authoized share capital of Rs. One crore the equity pattern M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd. is stated as follows
a) ONGC - 26%
b) KIADB - 23%
c) IL & FS - 51%
8. Government of Karnataka in his order number CI 400 SPI 2006 dated 3rd March 2007, has accorded permission to KIADB to subscribe to the additional equity share capital to the extent of Rs. 11.27 crores in M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd. and permission was given to KIADB to sign the share holders agreement in connection with M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd.
9. In the statement of accounts produced along with the Balance Sheet by M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd., in Schedule 7 under the head "Significant Accounting Policies" under sub-heading at Sl. No. 6 it is mentioned as follows:-
"6. Advance against Share Capital as at 31/3/2008 represents, the amount received from the following parties in terms of clause 3.3 of share holder's agreement dated 29-03-2007"
Name of the Share holder As on 31-03-2008(in Rs.)
Oil and Natural Gas corporation Limited 127,412,000
Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board 112,700,000
Infrastructure leasing and Financial Services Limited 245,100,000
Total 485,212,000
The above documents produced by the Petitioner and Respondents clearly show that M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd., has received substantial Financial Aid both from Central and State Governments. Hence there is no substance in the argument that M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd., is not a Public Authority. Commission comes to the conclusion that M/s Mangalore SEZ Ltd., is a 'Public Authority' under section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act. 2005.
10. Commission therefore directs Sri A.G.Pai, ED & COO, Mangalore SEZ Ltd., 3rd Floor, MUDA Building, Ashokanagar, Urwa Stores, Mangalore-575006 to provide the information sought by the Petitioner within 30 days free of cost, through RPAD, under intimation to the Commission.
11. The complaint is adjourned to 18-01-2011at 3-30 p.m.
ದಿನಾಂಕ 6-10-2010 ರಂದು ನಾನು ಕಳಿಸಿಕೊಟ್ಟ ದಾಖಲೆಗಳನ್ನು ಆಯೋಗ ವಿವರವಾಗಿ ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸಿ, ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕಡಿಮೆ ಅದರ ಆಧಾರದ ಮೇಲೆಯೇ ತೀರ್ಪು ಕೊಟ್ಟಿರುವುದು ನನ್ನ ಆತ್ಮವಿಶ್ವಾಸವನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸಿದೆ.
ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸರಕಾರವು ನೇತ್ರಾವತಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಗುರುಪುರ ನದಿಗಳಿಂದ ದಿನಕ್ಕೆ 6.75 ಕೋಟಿ ಲೀ. ನೀರೆತ್ತಲು ಅನುಮತಿ ನೀಡಿರುವುದರ ದಾಖಲೆಯನ್ನೂ ನಾನು ಆಯೋಗಕ್ಕೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ದೆ. ಆದರೆ ಮಾನ್ಯ ಆಯೋಗ ಆ ದಾಖಲೆಯನ್ನು ಪರಿಗಣಿಸಿಲ್ಲ.
ಅನುಮಾನವೇ ಇಲ್ಲದಂತೆ "ಮಂಗಳೂರು ಎಸ್ ಇ ಝಡ್ ಕಂಪೆನಿ ಮಾಹಿತಿ ಹಕ್ಕಿನ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಗೆ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ " ಎಂದು ತೀರ್ಪು ನೀಡಿದ ಮೇಲೂ, ವಿಚಾರಣೆಯನ್ನು ಪುನಃ 18-01-2011ಕ್ಕೆ ಯಾಕೆ ಇಡಲಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದು ಮಾತ್ರ ನನಗೆ ಅರ್ಥವಾಗಿಲ್ಲ. ತಿಳಿದವರು ಯಾರಾದರೂ ಇದು ಹೀಗೆ ಯಾಕೆ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಸಿ ಹೇಳಿದರೆ ಕೃತಜ್ಞ.