Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Panjim Mayor Surendra Furtado has alleged that the recent development works issued under Smart City is “Rs 350 crore scam in the making”.
“It is indeed shocking to note that the BJP State government on the advice of Panjim MLA Atanasio Babush Monserrate has issued tenders for construction of Rs 132 crore new sewerage network in the city without even taking the experts and technical considerations in mind just because the Smart City funds for the same are on the verge of lapsing due to inaction on the part of the Panjim MLA after being available for years,” Surendra alleged.
Surendra, who is a Panjim councillor at present, further questioned if any proper scientific study had been done keeping the topography, pressure, smooth flow, etc in mind.
“Even more shocking is the Rs 120 crore tender issued for construction of Smart Roads for Panjim. Normally, the Sewerage network is first completed and then the roads are done up,” he said.
Surendra gave an example of how completing the sewerage network takes at least five years and how in Taleigao, which is represented by Babush’s wife MLA Jennifer Monserrate, work is still going on for the last 10 years.
He claimed that without a proper study, a faulty sewerage network is being imposed on Panjim just to make sure the funds do not lapse.
“And the roads will be done up first and then dug up for the faulty sewerage system and then again redone and then again dug up to repair the faulty sewerage system and then again redone wasting at least Rs 350 crore of precious public funds in the process,” said Surendra.
