Curious farmers approach ACB

NASHIK: The stall set up by Nashik Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) at the 'krishi mahotsav' (agricultural festival) is getting a stream of curious visitors. Farmers and people from the rural areas are enquiring about the working of the ACB officials and how demands of bribery in different government departments can be reported.
In the bid to reach out to a large number of farmers, the ACB had put up a stall at the festival that began at Dongre Grounds along Gangapur Road from Friday.ACB officials said farmers have works in various government departments with respect to land deals, electricity connections, education of children, panchanama of damaged crop for compensation, etc. It has been observed that many times, departments ask farmers to pay bribe for clearing their work, the officials said.
Pravin Pawar, superintendent of police, ACB (Nashik range), said, "We have put up boards about public servants such as tehsildars, clerks, wireman, etc., from various departments, whom we have arrested. This is giving the farmers a fair idea about people, who can be booked if they demand bribe."
Besides, the ACB officials have also put up names, phone numbers and email ids of in-charge officers of Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar, Ahmednagar and Jalagaon districts, so that the farmers from these regions get assistance.
Pawar said people were skeptical about their work being stuck at the department concerned if they lodged a complaint against any officer. He said the farmers were told that the ACB helped the complainants in ensuring that their work was not left pending in the department concerned. The officials are appealing to the citizens to contact the ACB if they were being harassed by any public servant for bribe.