Uttarakhand to order vigilance probe into garlic scam

Farmers in the hills of Uttarakhand have been deprived of garlic seeds this time in the wake of an alleged scandal rocking the horticulture department.

“We have not procured any garlic seed this season as the tendering process was cancelled,” said I A Khan, director horticulture. However, Khan refused to comment further. Every year, the government purchases nearly 800 quintals of garlic seeds for farmers through a tendering process after the end of the monsoon season. Since there was no procurement, the seeds could not be distributed this season to farmers in the hills.

However, as part of its campaign against corruption, the state government is now contemplating a move to order a vigilance probe into the scam.

The move also had its rippling effects on top government fficials. The government recently shifted secretary horticulture Vinod Fonia to the rural development after he ordered a probe against additional secretary horticulture G S Pande in the Rs one crore garlic scandal. Interestingly, Fonia had also locked horns with centre of aromatic plants (CAP) director Nripendra Chauhan for taking consultancy fees from farmers recently.

Just before he was transferred, Fonia had sent a letter to Chief Minister B C Khanduri and other high ranking officials pointing out involvement of Pande in the scandal where he allegedly colluded with some private firms in the procurement of the garlic seeds. In his letter, Fonia had also pointed out that same firm which had initially agreed to provide seeds at Rs 101 per kg through a tendering process was asked to give higher rates of Rs 212 per kg.

“Since the matter is related to farmers, we are planning to handover the probe to vigilance department,” a top government official said.

Meanwhile, the government has appointed Khan as officiating director of the horticulture department, a post earlier held by Pande. Ever since Dr B P Nautiyal was removed from the post of director in the horticulture department in the wake of a series of alleged scandals, Pande was holding the additional charge.

“We will soon invite applications for a permanent director of the horticulture department,” said the official adding the chief minister is upset over the messy affairs in the horticulture department.