MARGAO
Are extensions for existing contractors becoming a norm rather than an exception in the Margao Municipal Council?
Friday’s special meeting has come under focus as the Council will take up for discussion three important issues pertaining to door-to-door waste collection, sopo collection and security services and whether or not to give extensions for the existing contractors. The extensions are proposed on the grounds that the civic body needs time to complete the process of codal formalities.
Take the case of the multi-crore door-to-door waste collection. A glance at the brief note circulated by MMC Chairperson Lyndon Pereira has proposed to give extension for a further period of three months up to October 2022 for the existing contractors.
Reason. The note stated that the contractor of door-to-door garbage collecting agency, Green Globe Self Help Group, Fatorda and Ms Bapu Environment Services had expired and that MMC had given extension to the agencies up to July 31, 2022 to avoid hampering the garbage lifting work. The note further stated that the Council had floated a fresh tender and the files were sent to the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA), but the agency has got back to the civic body stating the tender has been rejected due to some discrepancies.
What’s interesting to note is that the Chairperson’s note has stated that as per the discussion with the Minister, the Council may recommend extension of contract with the existing contractors for three months, not only because the work put in by these agencies was satisfactory, but that the Council may require time to complete the procedure.
The Council meeting will also discuss a proposal to extend the contract of security arrangement. The meeting note states that the Council had extended the contract since last year. Pointing out that the contract has already expired on June 30, 2022 and the file is already sent to the technical section to prepare the work for e-tendering, the Council will decide to give further extension of three months to the security agency.
On the controversial sopo contract, the Council had already extended the existing contract for three months ending on June 30, 2022. The civic body had auctioned the sopo tender, but did not finalise the bidder on the grounds that only a lone bidder had bid for the project. The MMC later sent the file to the Director of Municipal Administration, but the DMA has returned the file to the civic body to take a call on the issue. Though the chairperson’s note makes no mention of giving extension to the outgoing contractor, sources say there’s a move to give the sopo collection to the contractor for a period of three months.
