MARGAO
Guess why these two e-rickshaws are stranded in the Margao municipality garage when the civic body had roped in the vehicles to clean the city footpaths and pavements as per the avowed objective.
Well, launched with much-fanfare exactly three months ago on August 15, but commissioned days later, these e-rickshaws had kicked up a row of sorts from day one after the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) had skipped the codal formalities under the guise of making payments to the tune of Rs 8 lakh to the contractor for maintenance.
In fact, Margao civic babus have come under scanner over these two e-rickshaws even before citizens could go to the Lokayukta to take the officials to task for not inviting tenders from prospective contractors to supply the vehicles.
When The Goan tried to find out why the two e-vehicles are stranded in the municipality garage instead of cleaning the pavements and footpaths, an official said the contractor has been taken ill, adding that they have no idea whether these vehicles will return to the road or not.
Sources in the know informed that the MMC has already cleared payments to the tune of Rs 8 lakh to the contractor. That’s not all, it is a mystery that the civic body did not insist on the contractor keeping a performance guarantee as is the established practice, but has only taken a cheque from the contractor.
The civic babus had reportedly overruled the municipal accounts section when the latter raised queries on the procurement of the vehicles.
The Goan had over a month ago raised a host of questions on its September 6 edition whether the municipality has complied with the codal formalities by floating a tender before inducting the two vehicles.
Another question raised was that if the MMC claim that the civic body has not purchased the vehicles, but has entered into agreement with the private agency for maintenance, whether the civic body can make a payment of Rs eight lakh for maintenance when the rules mandates calling for e-tenders for works above Rs five lakh.
If municipal officials had invoked the Goa Finance Rules for circumventing the tendering process if the service in question is a specialised one, a question was raised whether the GFR rule 204 is applicable to agencies whose vehicles have been taken under the Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC).
Questions were raised about whether the strong objection from the accounts department was overruled by the higher officials by ordering the accounts section to issue the cheques.
An official had raised a pertinent query whether it is not mandatory to sign an agreement after completing all the formalities, such as the presentation of the bills, its certification, drawing of the vouchers and the payment of the bills.
