The story published in The Goan on July 26. Captured by : The Goan
MARGAO
The issue of inflated bills of the Cycling Association of Goa (CAG) highlighted by The Goan in its July 26 edition echoed in the State Assembly on Monday with Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira making a mention about the newspaper report while speaking during the discussion on demands for Sports & Youth Affairs.
He urged that if the allegations of submitting the inflated bills were true then action should be taken against the concerned officials and they should be banned from holding office in the association while referring to The Goan's report.
“If the allegations are true, they (Cycling Association of Goa officials) should be booked and the government should debar these people from the association and clean up the system,” said Ferreira.
Sounding an alarm note, Ferriera said, “If you have such people in the association who come just to loot, then they will finish the cycling association and the sport.”
He also urged the government to recover the amount from the concerned officials without any delay.
In a related development, Chetan Salkar, one of the key cycling promoters, who blew the lid on the inflated bills of the Cycling Association of Goa, submitted a letter to Sports Minister Govind Gaude urging action in the matter. He also mentioned the report in The Goan in his letter to the Sports Minister. Salkar met the Sports Minister in the presence of Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and Advocate Ohm Stanley.
It may be recalled that a letter dated June 25, 2024, written by NG Akhargekar, General Secretary of CAG and addressed to the President, Joint Secretary and Treasurer of the association and also submitted to the Executive Director, Sports Authority of Goa (SAG), had made serious allegations against three persons from CAG, alleging that they furnished false bills to SAG with regards to a camp conducted by the association this year.
Akhargekar had said there was "poor attendance at the camp, with only 13 cyclists reporting for the camp which was not a residential one". Akhargekar said he was shocked to learn that a few officials of CAG had submitted bills to the tune of Rs. 14,14,920 to SAG regarding the camp.
“Mr Kerkar- President CAG, Treasurer - Mr Viplav Bhakta and Joint Secretary South Mr Placid Fernandes submitted bills of Rs 14,14,920. This expenditure is unauthorised and other Executive Members are not (in the) known,” Akhargekar had said in the letter which he threatened to send to the Chief Minister, Sports Minister, Executive Director, Sports Authority of Goa and Joint Director of Accounts for the necessary inquiry in the matter through the vigilance department.
“The President, Treasurer and Joint Secretary (South) submitted the bills to certify (to SAG). Since it is unauthorised expenditure and bogus bills not certified and approved by me. Therefore, you are requested to refund the amount Rs 14,14,920 immediately,” he said in the letter.
