Hoshangabad (Madhya Pradesh): Several officials in Krishak Sewa Sahkari Samiti in Semreetla have been involved in alleged underhand dealings for a long time, sources in the society said.
Corruption in the society has now come to light. Taking bribes from farmers by the officials of the society at the time of procuring Moong (green gram), came to light after the Lokayukta sleuths raided the office.
The Lokayukta sleuths caught the manager of the cooperative society Suneet Purohit red handed and the labour contractor while they were taking bribes.
Now, another irregularity of the society has come to light. Moong had been procured from a woman farmer, but her bill was not paid.
As a result, the family members of the woman farmer have been making rounds of the society for payment.
According to reports, the husband of the woman farmer Madhavi Patel, Kavindra Patel, resident of Kamthi Surela, sold 20 quintals of Moong at the society in Semreetla on August 25.
She was called through an SMS. Madhavi was told that the bills would be prepared in two/three days, but she has been waiting for the payment since August 20.
The family members of the farmer said that she did not get payment, since the officials of the society had not prepared the bills.
Madhavi said that they had visited the office of the society several times, but the officials there could not give her any suitable reply.
As the society is 25km far from her house, Madhavi has spent more than Rs 2,000 on petrol.
Sources further said that the officials had committed irregularities in the name of preparing bills.
The husband of Madhvi said that he had complained to the officials of the society, but all that fell on deaf ears.
The officials said that Purohit, who had been suspended, could solve the problem.
An observer has been appointed to monitor all the societies, but he barely inspects the societies, sources further said.
The husband of Madhvi, Kavindra, further said that they had all the documents related to the sale of Moong. Despite that, they have been moving from pillar to post to get the bills prepared.
According to Kavindra, he has put up an application at the public hearing of the sub-divisional manager.
When the matter was put up before sub-divisional magistrate Nitin Tale, he said that Moong had been procured from the woman farmer on minimum support price on the last day of procurement.
On the same day, the Lokayukta sleuths caught the manager of the society red handed while he was taking bribes, Tale said.
This is the reason why the bill for procurement of Moong could not be prepared, he said, adding that a letter had been written to the agriculture department and the payment would soon be made to the woman farmer.
