Public reading of EGS muster rolls to resume

Divisional Commissioner Prabhakar Karandikar sent out a circular on Monday to the collectors of Pune, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Solapur, to begin public reading of muster rolls. He has directed the collectors to conduct jansunwais of muster rolls of EGS works that are in progress as well as those that have been completed. It is mandatory for the gramsevak, talathi and the agricultural assistant to be present during the readings.

So, when will the readings begin? ‘‘It will take some time for the preparations, especially in flood-affected areas,’’ he said. ‘‘I have instructed the collectors to follow Solapur Collector Manisha Varma’s well-planned strategy, she had chalked out before the public readings were stalled.’’

But Varma, who unearthed the Rs 9.1 crore scandal in early July, has been at the receiving end, with the EGS officials, especially those in the agriculture department — five have cases against them and are on the run — not cooperating with her.

‘‘Although I have received the divisional commissioner’s order last evening, I am facing stiff resistance from the agricultural department staff in procuring the musters,’’ she told The Indian Express.

But Karandikar claims to have taken care of that. ‘‘I have officially written to the agricultural commissioner to ensure that his staff cooperates with Varma.’’

Varma was all ready to hold more public readings to dig deeper when Deshmukh ordered a probe by the EGS secretary, and surprisingly, stopped all public readings of muster rolls. But following a barrage of protest from the people and Right To Information activists, Deshmukh changed his stance. A few days ago in Pune, he said he never ‘‘stayed’’ the public readings.