MARGAO: In a clear violation of the spirit of the government guidelines aimed at ensuring accountability in the execution of development works in municipal areas, the Margao municipality invited and opened a quotation for laying of pavers on a road stretch sans NOC from the land owner.
It was only at the time of issuing work order the civic body backtracked, realizing that the process violates the spirit of the government guidelines issued by the Director, Urban Development, and the recommendations made by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Vigilance in a probe set up by the Goa Lokayukta in the MMC tendering case.
The Goan understands that the MMC had invited quotations from contractors to take up the work of laying pavers on a small stretch of a road without obtaining the owner’s NOC. Strong reservations were expressed by the concerned officials, right from the technical section to the account section, but the civic body went ahead with the opening of the quotation, ostensibly upon political pressure.
Even as all eyes were on the civic body wondering if it would issue the work order, Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes finally put his foot down and the civic body could not go ahead with the work until the mandated NOC was obtained.
A host of questions, however, remains unanswered: 1) Why did the municipality invite the quotation and opened the same without first obtaining an NOC from the land owner. For, the exercise clearly violated guideline No 5 in the government’s circular which reads as follows “In case, any works are proposed to be carried out in private properties, then it shall be ensured that the NOCs/irrevocable NOCs are obtained beforehand at the time of proposing the said works and not at the time of issuing work order”.
This particular guideline has been incorporated into the Urban Development Director’s circular after an inquiry by the ACB (Vigilance) into the controversial MMC tenders ordered by Goa Lokayukta had observed that in many cases, works were tendered in private properties. “Justification was given by the MMC officials during the inquiry that the NOCs will be taken before issuance of work order. The fact that areas in private properties where works are to be carried out is to be acquisitioned by the government will not always be accepted by the private party. The purpose of carrying out the entire procedure of site visit by the engineer and his team, preparation of estimate, tendering, etc will turn futile if the private property owner/society chairman subsequently refuses to give irrevocable NOC after being informed of the land acquisition by the government at a stage before issue of work order. This would be nothing but waste of effort and valuable time of the government officials”, ACB Dy SP Sucheta Desai had observed in her inquiry report.
For city fathers, guidelines
a thorn in the flesh
MARGAO: Margao municipal city fathers still don’t seem to have reconciled to the government’s guidelines on executing development works, which seeks to bring to accountability and transparency and put an end to the quotation raj.
When the guidelines were placed at the Wednesday’s meeting chaired by Chairperson Lyndon Pereira for discussions, councillors were of the opinion that the guidelines will put spokes in the execution of development works in the city.
Councillor Sagun Naik set the ball rolling when he said the guidelines will only bring hurdles in the implementation of work orders. “With these guidelines, the councillor’s hands will be tied from taking up any development work”, he said and requested the Chairperson to lead a delegation to convince the Urban Development Director on how the guidelines will not allow development work in the city.
Councillor Damu Shirodkar echoed similar sentiments. He suggested the Chairperson to discuss the matter with the two MLAs “ Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai and then lead a delegation to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Chief Secretary, Urban Development secretary and explain how the guidelines will bring hurdles in the execution of development works.
