CHENNAI: The land reforms department has issued a comprehensive circular to district collectorates and revenue officers, outlining the protocols for maintaining documents to ensure their accessibility and longevity.
This initiative follows criticism from the state information commission regarding the inadequate upkeep of records, which has resulted in numerous Right to Information Act petitions being denied due to the unavailability of requested documents.
The circular emphasizes that records concerning patta transfers, land acquisitions, ownership details, land reclassification, encroachments, government land leases, land surrenders, and tax schemes must be systematically maintained by local district collectorates, with copies submitted to the land reforms department. These records are to be categorized as permanent documents, time-bound disposals (to be destroyed after 10 years), standing orders, and current documents.
According to the circular, when an RTI request is submitted to the land reforms department, it will be forwarded to the relevant district under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, requiring the respective collectorate to respond appropriately.
Furthermore, it outlines that record rooms should ideally be located on the ground floor to prevent damage from sunlight, moisture, and pests. Confidential files must be secured with limited access, and record rooms should undergo regular cleaning.
Records that are closed should be marked with black ink, while pending documents must be highlighted in red ink, along with corresponding serial and document numbers.
