The Opposition demanded that the beach cleaning contract awarded to Bhumika Cleantech Services Pvt. Ltd. for North Goa and M/s Ram Cleansers & Developers Pvt. Ltd. for South Goa be terminated immediately.
Independent legislators Rohan Khaunte, Vijai Sardesai, Naresh Sawal and Congress’ Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Digmabar Kamat, Pandurang Madkaikar, Chandrakant Kavlekar, Vishwajit Rane and Jennifer Monserrate demanding an inquiry into the beach cleanliness scam rushed to the well of the House when Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar refused to order the probe.
The issue was raised on the floor of the House by Khaunte who claimed that the beach cleanliness contract awarded to a private firm is a multi-crore scam. He demanded CBI or judicial inquiry into the scam claiming that crores of rupees of the state exchequer were spent on this contract.
“Even after the expiry of the contract on December 7, last year, both the contractors are asked to continue the work. Moreover, as assured in the contract, the tourism department has failed to give any “grade” to the works undertaken by the contractor,” the MLA said.
“The failure to grant the grade, itself proves that the work done is not satisfactory and hence their contract should be withdrawn or terminated,” Khaunte added. He was rightly supported by the Opposition colleagues.
Being unwell, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar was not present for the session and hence the Chief Minister was replying on his behalf.
Parsekar refusing the allegation said that the contract was not a scam as for the last ten or eleven months, an amount of Rs 8.19 crore has been paid to the contractors- Rs 4.15cr to North Goa and Rs 4.14cr for South. “Wherever the contractor has failed to act, we have imposed penalties and have issued show cause notices,” he said. Till date, a total of four show cause notices are issued to the contractors.
