DHAMANGAONGADHI (Maharashtra), June 20: With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Patlya Mavaskar Guruji, releasing a statement about the alleged financial irregularities in the development work carried out by the state government in the Melghat tribal belt, the officials concerned have reportedly launched an unannounced non-cooperation policy against him.

Many government schemes in Melghat are run `on paper' only, while the amount sanctioned is misappropriated. The rates offered by the government under the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) being very low, the tribals are reluctant to work. However, the officials are accused of pocketing the scheme funds by submitting bogus bills and reports.

Without naming anyone, the MLA alleged in the statement that several officials of the forest, irrigation and zilla parishad's construction department were corrupt.

He has also accused the Panchayat Samiti officials of corruption in the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY).

Referring to the complaints of farmers, Patlya Guruji alleged in the statement that the junior engineers demanded Rs 2,000 from farmers for sanctioning a well. It is further alleged that the tribals were exploited by the employees of the revenue department while issuing land ownership documents. The employees of the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) are also accused of being involved in such malpractices. In fact, the MLA has published the `rates' demanded by the government employees from tribals in the statement. The statement has disturbed the district administration, which is already under severe criticism for its failure in checking malnutrition in Melghat tribal belt.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.