Writing a two, part edit is usually not the norm. But with our ongoing investigation into what we will now call #GoaJettyGate throwing up more facts as we dig into reams of documents, all on file and duly authorised, it naturally calls for comment and interpretation to take readers through some apparently complex facts. If you peel the layers out, the truth that this project was sanctioned fraudulently is pretty simple. But the layers do need to be peeled to arrive at this simple truth.
Moving on from how the costs were escalated and how the two companies which bid for tender had close connections and their common directors shared the same office address, we stumbled upon another shocker. All along the then Water Resources Minister Dayanand Mandreker strung everyone along as file notings suggested that the main purpose of the project was to rebuild the bund at the river which was weak. The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority also helped by stating surprisingly that the bund had collapsed when it had not. The plan to construct a jetty is mentioned only in passing.
Mark the noting of Executive Engineer BP Badami on file “on the direction from the Hon’ble water resources minister, it was the need of the hour to take up the above mentioned work on priority as the existing protection wall is in very bad shape and may collapse any time in coming couple of monsoon”.
Does this look like a file noting for a proposal of a Rs 12.5 crore and counting jetty project?
The file went through the motions and finally reached the Expenditure Finance Committee. This consisted of quite a few heavyweights, the Chief Secretary as Chairman and Principal Secretary (WR), Finance Secretary, Chief Engineer (WRD), Additional Secretary (budget) and Additional Secretary Finance (Expenditure).
These senior officers too concluded that the sanction was being given mainly to strengthen the bund and build a proper retaining wall for protection during the monsoons. These officers may be given the benefit of doubt since they went by the notings of the Water Resources Department. But it also begs the obvious question. When the contours of the project finally became visible and the tendering process started, wasn’t it clearly obvious that the real intent didn’t match the paper work produced to get the project sanctioned?
It didn’t end there. When two companies bid for the jetty construction tender, and a very simple scrutiny of their documents revealed that the companies were connected, why was the tender process validated?
Every bidder for a project has to subject himself for a due diligence check and scrutiny. Those involved in the process of selecting the company to undertake the jetty project must provide evidence of this due diligence being done. Quite clearly, from the documents available, there was nothing of this nature even contemplated or carried out.
There appears to be a clear violation, prima facie, of CVC guidelines in the awarding of the tender itself and a larger fraud indicated due the surreptitious manner in which a sprawling jetty project, made to look like a bund rebuilding one, was cleared.
Herald feels vindicated that the Water Resources Minister decided to order a Vigilance Inquiry into the Siolim Jetty project and put the project on hold because that is the only correct thing to do. The first person to be questioned should be the former Water Resources Minister in the previous BJP government Dayanand Mandrekar, who was incidentally defeated by the current Water Resources Minister Vinod Paleykar. It is as clear as day that it was Mandrekar who conceived the project and then got around to getting it justified and approved in a manner such as this. In clear simple terms, this is akin to pulling wool over the eyes of the system and the weak system gave in without batting an eye lid.
This inquiry has to be done in a time bound manner and the report should be made public and acted upon and action taken thereof. We should not and we will not allow #GoaJettyGate to go into the confines of obscurity.
