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| 'Scam worth lakhs' surfaces in Reasi | | Loot under Afforestation scheme in Mahore, Forest Deptt in deep slumber | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
jammu, Dec 1: Forest Department officials in alleged connivance with employees of Mahore branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Reasi district have embezzled funds worth several hundred lakhs which were to be spent under Centrally sponsored Forest Development Agency (FDA) Scheme.
Employees of Forest Department looted the State exchequer in broad-daylight in alleged connivance with some employees of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Mahore but neither Forest Department nor other involved agencies took any significant action. Even a complaint in the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi evoked little or no response. The complainants received an acknowledgement and no action followed despite BJP leader Bali Bhagat heading the ministry.
The loot is going on unabated. Though one of the complainants, a retired Forester Ghulam Mohammed told Early Times that police has lodged an FIR in one of the many cases of loot under this Centrally sponsored scheme but no follow-up action has been taken by the Forest Department, which should have been first to take action. He added that the accused officials continue to serve in Mahore sub-division of Reasi district despite mounting evidence of their involvement in the scam.
The funds were meant to be spent under Centrally sponsored Forest Development Agency (FDA) scheme under National Afforestation Programme (NAP). Under this scheme, Forest Department was supposed to create Village Forest Committees (VFCs) to be headed by a prominent citizen of the area with forester as the member secretary. This committee was given the authority to spend a specific amount on the Afforestation activities in the area.
Each committee had to open a bank account in their nearest branch, the signatories of which were to be Chairman and Member Secretary. Committee could withdraw funds meant for Afforestation and other activities enshrined under the scheme through cheques duly signed by the Chairman and the member secretary. In the case of Mahore sub-division, records indicate that the scheme was launched in the Year 2007 and works were also taken up from that year only.
It is further found out that the funds were finally released in the year 2011 but by that time, the forest officials had allegedly convinced other members of the village committee that the scheme had been closed and funds were unlikely to be released for the same. From March 2011 till this date, available data with Early Times clearly shows that payments have been released by the bank on regular basis without the alleged knowledge of village committee members.
Funds have been withdrawn from all the 14 accounts of the village forest committees of Mahore sub-division. The funds amounting to more than Rs. 50 Lakh have been withdrawn allegedly by the forest officials. The complainant Ghulam Mohammed further told the Early Times that no progress has been made in the case despite repeatedly knocking at the doors of the concerned agencies both at the district level and also at the State level.
He said that even if a preliminary inquiry is ordered, most of the officials of Mahore sub-division would be behind the bars. "They have shown utilisation worth lakhs of rupees but there is nothing on ground to prove the same. No work has been done after the villagers were told that the scheme has been closed by the Central Government and no more funds would be released under the same in future," claimed Ghulam Mohammed, ex-Forester.
A thorough probe would help in finding out how the bank allowed the forest officials to withdraw money from the accounts jointly held by the forester and the village elder, said Ghulam Mohammed. He maintained that the probe would unveil the nexus that has been operating in Mahore and looting the State exchequer. Another local said that an FIR has been lodged but nothing concrete has happened so far since those accused are still working in Mahore sub-division. "They should be placed under suspension and probe ordered so that truth comes out. Those who have looted State exchequer and cheated the commoners should not be spared," added the local. |
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