Action demanded against those who paid dead staff

NAGPUR: Payment to dead persons by forest department for plantation works in Bhandara division seems to have stirred up trouble with various organizations demanding action against foresters involved.
On October 15, TOI was first to report how Narayan Ambade, Waghbodi, who died on December 28, 1996, and Bhojram Dodku Varthe, Sarpewada, who died on May 21, 2014, were shown as having received payments for plantation and soil conservation works taken up in February and March 2015 in Dighori and Koknagad.
Ajay Wasnik, state president of Committee for Stopping Corruption in Maharashtra, in a press release said after going through the documents and payment vouchers worth Rs4 lakh it was found that wages were paid in the name of the dead. Besides, the list also contained many fake names, he added. Wasnik said Bhandara RFO Sanjay Meshram, who exposed the scam, has been suspended.
“No action has been taken against foresters and guards WR Khan, TG Ghule, Gauri Neware and RK Deshmukh who prepared fake vouchers and also got them cleared. All of them continue to remain on same posts in Bhandara,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bhim Sena has launched a chain-hunger strike in Bhandara demanding action against foresters involved in corruption. On Monday, the agitation entered third day. SS Humne, deputy chief secretary of Castribe Employees Welfare Mahasangh, met Nagpur CCF TSK Reddy demanding action against erring staff and revoking suspension of RFO Meshram. “Reddy has promised to conduct a fresh probe in the matter,” said Humne.
Reddy was not available for comments. Earlier, a similar probe was ordered but there was no action. Interestingly, to save themselves after TOI expose, foresters forced son of deceased Ambade to give in writing that he was at work and his father’s name had appeared in the payment list by mistake.
“Ambade has again given in writing that he has no role to play in the scam,” said Humne.