Some official of the Tambuttegama Agricultural Research Centre in Anuradahapura are alleged to have collected over Rs 5 million from farmers in the area, on the promise of supplying fertilizer at subsidised prices, but had failed to supply the fertilizer nor given receipts for the monies collected. Investigations conducted by the Agricultural Ministry investigations unity had revealed that some farmers have even pawned their family jewellery to pay these officers, according to Director of the Investigation Unit. A.A.Wickremasinghe. Though the practice was not to charge transport costs from farmers for supplying fertilizer, on this occasion the crooked officials have even collected transport charges from them. Wickremasinghe said that according to the departmental circular money could be collected from the farmers only at the point of delivery of fertilizer and not before that. On hearing of the investigations by the Ministry