Digapahandi: Farmers have alleged massive irregularities in distribution of pesticides and saplings by block horticulture department at Digapahandi block in Ganjam district.
Farmers of Bajapalli, Badadumbula, Narasingpur and Gokarnapur claimed that the funds allotted in the name of farmers are misappropriated by the departmental officers.
Farmers have given a memorandum to Collector Amruta Vijya Kulnge Friday demanding a CBI probe into the misuse of funds. In the memorandum, the farmers alleged that the officials have illegally supplied the pesticides and manures to a godown at Markapadia in Gokarnapur panchayat instead of distributing them.
They told the collector that the horticulture department had planted mango and cashew nut saplings in the field of Sarathi Nayak, a resident of Bajapalli village, without informing him.
They claimed the department had produced a false bill in the name of Sarathi and misappropriated all the sanctioned money.
Collector Kulnge assured the farmers’ delegation comprising S. Ranjan Padhi, Dr. Sudhansu Dora, L. Danda Reddi, Sanjib Dora that had submitted that he would take appropriate action against those involved in the fraud as per the inspection report.
When the block horticulture department officer Sarada Pattnaik was asked about thism, he said all these allegations are baseless.
He said for mango and cashew nut cultivation in 13 hectares a total of 13,000 saplings were distributed among the farmers of the area. The allowances money of the farmers will be deposited in their accounts who have already planted the saplings in their lands.
He further clarified the labourers will be provided their dues as per the MGNAREGA guidelines. “Farmers of this area are divided into two groups. So they make such baseless allegation,” he said.
