PANAJI
The state government earlier in the week ordered the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Department of Vigilance to initiate the preliminary enquiry into the alleged irregularities in the beach cleaning contract, in compliance with the recommendations of Goa Lokayukta.
Following a detailed investigation, Goa Lokayukta had in mid-September submitted a report to the state government with the recommendation for re-opening the ACB probe into the case while also suggesting that the state government may consider the question of referring the matter to CBI for investigation.
Summarizing the findings of the investigation, the report states that the then tourism minister had shown indulgence and favoritism by not acting upon the recommendations made by the tourism director and principal secretary (tourism). It further says that the minister was actuated in discharging his functions by improper motive and abused and misused his position to obtain any gain for the contractors and to favour the contractors.
On account of this, it was held that the contractors were allowed to continue work without formal extension order. The term of the contract was for five years and this had to be renewed after every 15 months, a condition that was violated.
The Lokayukta report also held that the contractors had submitted false bills, which were not properly scrutinized while pointing out that the tourism department should not have paid the bills in full for September 2014 and October 2014.
It may be recalled that the ACB had almost given a clean chit to former Tourism Minister. However, ACB had later admitted that the scope of its investigation was only limited to the technical aspects of the beach cleaning contract while the alleged irregularities occurred at the stage of billing.
The beach cleaning contract was awarded by the state government to Ram Engineering and Construction Company and Bhumika Clean Tech Pvt Ltd. The Lokayukta took suo moto cognizance of the matter following the complaints filed by Adv Aires Rodrigues, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte and Suraj Borkar alleging that the beach cleaning project was a multi-crore scam.
During the initial stages, it had come to light that the total amount spent in 11 months for North Goa was Rs 4.47 crore and for South Goa was Rs 4.53 crore.
The complainants had argued that the contract was awarded to little known companies at a very exorbitant rate of Rs.14.56 crores annually while the cleaning of beaches over the previous years had cost the government a
mere average of Rs two crore annually.
The state government earlier in the week ordered the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Department of Vigilance to initiate the preliminary enquiry into the alleged irregularities in the beach cleaning contract, in compliance with the recommendations of Goa Lokayukta.
Following a detailed investigation, Goa Lokayukta had in mid-September submitted a report to the state government with the recommendation for re-opening the ACB probe into the case while also suggesting that the state government may consider the question of referring the matter to CBI for investigation.
Summarizing the findings of the investigation, the report states that the then tourism minister had shown indulgence and favoritism by not acting upon the recommendations made by the tourism director and principal secretary (tourism). It further says that the minister was actuated in discharging his functions by improper motive and abused and misused his position to obtain any gain for the contractors and to favour the contractors.
On account of this, it was held that the contractors were allowed to continue work without formal extension order. The term of the contract was for five years and this had to be renewed after every 15 months, a condition that was violated.
The Lokayukta report also held that the contractors had submitted false bills, which were not properly scrutinized while pointing out that the tourism department should not have paid the bills in full for September 2014 and October 2014.
It may be recalled that the ACB had almost given a clean chit to former Tourism Minister. However, ACB had later admitted that the scope of its investigation was only limited to the technical aspects of the beach cleaning contract while the alleged irregularities occurred at the stage of billing.
The beach cleaning contract was awarded by the state government to Ram Engineering and Construction Company and Bhumika Clean Tech Pvt Ltd. The Lokayukta took suo moto cognizance of the matter following the complaints filed by Adv Aires Rodrigues, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte and Suraj Borkar alleging that the beach cleaning project was a multi-crore scam.
During the initial stages, it had come to light that the total amount spent in 11 months for North Goa was Rs 4.47 crore and for South Goa was Rs 4.53 crore.
The complainants had argued that the contract was awarded to little known companies at a very exorbitant rate of Rs.14.56 crores annually while the cleaning of beaches over the previous years had cost the government a
mere average of Rs two crore annually.
