TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Beach cleaning and beach safety tenders continue to be caught up in bureaucratic wrangles even as two months have passed since the agencies were selected through a transparent tendering procedure.
Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar who has repeatedly stated that work orders would be issued soon, Thursday again told Herald that the work orders would be issued within the next two days.
Government intent of mega beach cleaning mechanisms have sunk under the sands with the over two months delay in issuing work orders even as a fresh contract has been put in place for beach safety before the tourism season began in October 2013.
Drishti Special Response Services (DSRS), which has been selected again in the bidding process, continues to provide beach services under the contract that has been renewed several times since June 2013.
On Thursday, Drishti Group CMD issued a communiqué appeasing its lifeguards that increments in wages, as stipulated in the new tenders would be effected to them from February 1, 2014 irrespective of the delay in issue of work orders to DSRS.
“The Tender has stipulated that the lifeguards will have to be paid minimum gross salary of Rs 10,500 per month, by the successful bidder, and shall include all statutory payments like EPF, ESI etc. However, irrespective of the tender stipulations Drishti has given the lifeguards an annual increment and have also declared our intent to implement new wage structure effective February 1, 2014 in anticipation of the award of work order shortly,” the CMD said.
“The Minister of Tourism in June 2012 at Baga beach had openly stated that the government is going to give a raise of Rs. 4000 across the board,” the note stated.
“Drishti is in liaison with the DOT and we hope to get the work order shortly which will clear all doubts,” the note said.
Earlier Thursday, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo also expressed surprise over the delay in issuing of work orders to Drishti even though the chief minister had already cleared the files. “The work contract must be issued immediately to Drishti,” he said adding that there should be no further delay.
