Keonjhar: Crores of rupees from the public exchequer have been allegedly looted in the fencing work of the plantation programme undertaken by the Horticulture Department in this district.
The matter came to light after the daily labourers and farmers engaged in the project didn’t receive their payments after three months of the work, a report said.
The issue was discussed at the zilla parishad meeting held Friday. Even as the officials kept mum at that time, School and Mass Education minister Badri Narayan Patra has asked the Horticulture Department to lodge a complaint in this regard.
Nearly 30 farmers in Patna and Saharpada blocks are yet to get their remuneration worth Rs 40 lakh in the fencing project, alleged ZP member Anshuman Sabuja Mohant Burma. This amount is due in only two blocks and the misappropriation in the district could run into crores of rupees if the backlog in the entire district is taken into consideration, Anshuman added.
Meanwhile, a complaint has been lodged in this regard with the grievance cell of the Collector, Monday.
Apart from the Horticulture Department, crores of rupees were sanctioned to Forest and Soil Conservation Departments for fencing work. Similar irregularities have been committed in these departments too and a Vigilance probe would bring the truth to the fore, said locals.
According to reports, an agency was given the contract to raise fence using bamboo, barbwire and ‘amari’ (a type of unproductive plant) throughout the district. However, instead of supplying them the equipment, the agency asked the farmers and Udyan Sathis to spend from their pockets for the project, promising them to clear their dues later on. Though months passed, the agency is yet to clear their payment, it is alleged.
On the other hand, the farmers said they have not met any agency representatives. They executed the work borrowing money on the advice of the Horticulture Department officials.
Some farmers even alleged that the Horticulture Department officials proposed them to close the matter by accepting 50 per cent payment, which the former refused. Worse still, the officials even threatened the workers to stop their entire payment if they didn’t agree to their proposal, it was learnt.
The farmers now suspect that there is a tacit understanding between the agency and the department officials.
When contacted, Horticulture Department deputy director Om Prakash Rath said he has no knowledge as to how the agency executed the work.
Despite this, an FIR was lodged with police, but the latter didn’t receive the complaint on the ground that the exact amount of misappropriation was not mentioned, Rath added.
A fresh complaint would be lodged after proper calculation, he further said.
PNN