MARGAO
The Shadow Council for Margao filed a representation before the Principal Accountant General (CAG, Goa), demanding for a detailed audit into the various financial irregularities at the Margao Municipal Council.
In its representation, the SCM has pointed out that even after exposing the wrongdoings, with evidence, it was amusing to see that there is hardly any scrutiny over the scams so as to pull up those responsible. "We often hear of audit's happening, but we hardly know whether these scams, at the cost of the public exchequer, have ever caught the attention of the auditors", SCM convenor Savio Coutinho stated, adding “upon knowing about the CAG Audit at the MMC, SCM submitted a list of nine issues, calling upon the CAG for the need of a serious review”.
The CAG was also called upon to check the assets of the Council, saying that no periodic Inventory has been ever conducted by the Council. “After a struggle, the SCM got information under RTI, that the Council is in possession of 208 mobile handsets. However the inspection of these 208 handsets was denied. It was requested that the CAG check upon this, and verify the existence of at least the 208 mobile phone sets. Resale of which could surely fetch revenue for the Council, SCM stated.
The SCM further stated that JCB had been hired by the Council for over a year without following Codal formalities. “Extensions after extensions were granted taking undue advantage of a high court matter. Bills were paid on the basis of manipulated timings, which manipulation may be difficult to prove. However if the quantum of handled waste is considered, one is set to wonder whether it was a toy JCB working, or an actual one”, the representation added.
The SCM also revealed that, while the rate agreed includes diesel costs, the Council showed undue generosity of providing diesel to the contractor.
The NGO also alleged that rigged/compromised quotation system has been adopted a couple of months ago, seeking to know how can a work involving payments of over 35 lakhs (1 year) be executed by not inviting quotations.
Saying that Sopo collection contractors over the past several years have defaulted in payment of dues to the Council, Coutinho said the bank guarantees given to the Council by many of the contractors were not encashed after default of payments. “Collectively, over Rs 50 lakhs is still outstanding and receivable from such contractors, as halfhearted efforts are made towards recovery of these dues, the representation stated.
Saying that the government has time and again issued circulars and directions to the Council, calling for the assessment of illegal and unassesed premises for tax and sanitation fees, the SCM lamented that Council very conveniently ignoring these directions.
Pointing out that advertisement fees payable by councillors and political leaders has been pending for recovery, the SCM has hoped that the team deputed to the Margao Municipal Council undertakes a fair exercise through a thorough audit in the interest of the public exchequer. Fixing responsibility through the audit should be the final goal, without which the audit may also end up into being a farce, like before, SCM concluded.
