Lucknow, Aug 28 - When an official of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) came to a village in Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli district Friday to check on the progress of projects, villagers made him eat the same meal they do - made of bitter plants avoided even by grazing animals - to protest the lack of any work.

The incident was reported from Barauchi village in the district, when NREGS district project director B.B. Singh reached there Friday afternoon to check the progress of projects under the scheme.

'We offered him vegetables prepared from wild weeds, commonly known as 'Chakor' and 'Karemuha' that grow during the rainy season. Even the animals do not graze on it due to its bitter taste,' Babu Prajapati, a villager, told IANS.

'We also offered him hand-made 'bajra' chapattis, made from the cheapest available flour,' he added.

The irate villagers also piled over a thousand NREGS job cards on Singh's table when he was having his 'lunch'.