CONDITIONS
FOR BIDDERS
>> Will have to provide comprehensive services including collection, segregation, transportation and disposal of garbage, etc --------------------------
PRESENT CARETAKERS
>> The beach cleaning work is currently being carried out by Drishti Marine Services at around Rs 9 crore per year>> It has employed approximately 300 persons on a daily basis to clear the garbage from the beaches
>> The garbage collection process takes place twice a day between, once in the morning and then again in the evening
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THE SCAM THEN
>> It was alleged that there was a scam of around Rs 14.90 crore in beach cleaning>> Contracts of earlier contractors terminated after complaints of corruption
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PANAJI: Standing by its assurance given to the High Court, the Tourism Department has floated a tender for beach cleaning services at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore for a period of five years. The agency appointed will have to provide comprehensive services for cleaning of various beaches in the state including collection, segregation, transportation and disposal of garbage etc.
The State government through its Advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande had recently assured the High Court that the tender for the beach cleaning project would be floated by October 1. Next hearing on this issue is slated for October 10.
One of the several other conditions to be eligible for the tender is, the contractor should have satisfactorily completed similar works during the last seven years. October 10 is the last date for applying for tender, which will be opened later this year.
Beach cleaning was in news due to alleged scam during the tenure of Laxmikant Parsekar as Chief Minister and Dilip Parulekar as tourism minister. It was alleged that there was a scam of around Rs 14.90 crore in beach cleaning.
The beach cleaning work is currently being carried out by Drishti Marine Services and the State government is paying it around Rs 9 crore per year for keeping the beaches clean.
During the tenure of the previous government, the tourism department had through a tender process selected M/s Bhumika Cleantech Services Pvt Ltd to clean the beaches of North Goa and M/s Ram Cleansers & Developers Private Limited for South Goa at an annual cost of Rs 7.59 crore and Rs 7.12 crore respectively.
The amount being paid to Drishti currently is significantly less than the Rs 14 crore it was paying to the two agencies for keeping beaches in both North and South Goa clean.
In a bid to improve the cleanliness on Goa’s beaches, the state government had reached out to Drishti Marine in December 2016 to step in and assist with garbage collection along the beaches on a temporary basis to support the effort of the government. The agency has an existing framework which includes infrastructure and management capability to effectively carry out the exercise along the beaches.
Presently, Drishti Marine has employed approximately 300 persons on a daily basis to clear the garbage from the beaches. The garbage collection process takes place twice a day between, once in the morning and then again in the evening. At all beaches, the first round of collection takes place at 9.00 am according to the circuit route followed by the garbage collection vehicle. Considering that the quantum of garbage is a lot more than otherwise during the peak season, a second round of collection is done at the coastal belt, if required.
The teams are in touch with each other with regards to the collection of garbage that has been done. If the need arises, a third round of collection will be done before 6pm to ensure all the garbage is collected and transported to the waste management plant. The garbage collected is transported to the Saligao Waste Management plant once or twice a day.
The government terminated contractors of the earlier contractors after complaints of corruption reached the office of the Lokayukta and the Government which was on the back foot after accusations of corruption decided to terminate the contracts.
