By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 14 Feb: Retired District Horticulture Officer Yogendra Singh Chaudhary today strongly refuted the claims made by Horticulture Minister Ganesh Joshi while indicting him for alleged irregularities in procurement of planting material by the Horticulture Department. It may be recalled that, at a press conference held yesterday in Dehradun, Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi had claimed that, based on the investigation report, departmental action has been initiated against the then Additional Director, Dr RK Singh, and the then District Horticulture Officer (retired) Yogendra Singh Chaudhary. Joshi had further stated that the action is a result of their negligence during the selection of the nursery and in the verification of plants procured from the nursery at that time. Joshi had further stated that the Horticulture Department has also issued chargesheets against them. Additionally, instructions have been issued to take action against the nursery under the Nursery Act and other prevailing rules, as well as to blacklist it.
In response to the allegations against him, Chaudhary issued a statement today, stating that he has read in the newspapers and digital media that, in a matter related to the year 2020, the Minister held him guilty in the case of lemon plants distributed to the farmers of Rudraprayag district turning out to be jambhiri and has ordered recovery from him.
Refuting the claims made by Joshi, Chaudhary claimed that he wants to bring some important facts to the attention of the Minister, which, according to him, are not being conveyed by senior officials, who are misleading him.
In his statement issued today, Chaudhary claimed that during the Covid period, as per the order of the then Director, Horticulture, issued on 16 June, 2020, the verification report of Sanjeevani Nursery was submitted to the Director by the then Chief Horticulture Officer and his associate officers. The verification officer had confirmed the type and proper quality of the plants in his report. Following this, as the District Horticulture Officer, Chaudhary had requested plants from the Director under various schemes being run in the state, and the plants from Sanjeevani Nursery were also distributed only after the approval of the then Secretary, Horticulture.
Chaudhary also claimed that four years later, when it came to light that all the plants in the farmers’ gardens had turned out to be Jambhiri variety instead of being lemons, Chaudhary informed the present Director through a letter, stating that the plants given by Sanjeevani Nursery in Rudraprayag had caused significant losses to farmers. Chaudhary claims that he had then urged the authorities to take action against the nursery owner as per the rules under the Nursery Act. However, at the directorate level, the letter was allegedly concealed for months, and the investigation was suppressed. According to Chaudhary, no inquiry was conducted to determine the actual reason for the issue. He stated that seven months later, when the farmers’ organisation raised this issue, the Minister finally ordered the blacklisting of Sanjeevani Nursery. Chaudhary pointed out that no action was taken against the officer who had suppressed the investigation for seven months. Additionally, no action was taken against the then verification officer either.
Chaudhary further alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched to protect Sanjeevani Nursery. He claimed that even the Minister was unwilling to acknowledge the Nursery Act, which clearly states that if the plants provided to farmers are found to be not of the claimed varieties, the entire responsibility lies with the nursery owner.
Chaudhary also emphasised that while the Minister has been associated with the Horticulture Department for only four years, he has worked for the betterment of the department and has lent his support to the farmers who have been wronged and affirmed that he stood with them even during his tenure as the Horticulture Officer of Rudraprayag.
Chaudhary claimed that he has faith in God and in the Courts, adding that the manner in which his name has been misused and he has been falsely held guilty for his own demand for an investigation is unjust. He announced his intention to send a notice of defamation in response to these allegations.
