PANJIM: The Institution of Goa Lokayukta has questioned the government’s wisdom behind continuing with the beach cleaning contract on ad-hoc sans agreement.
Lokayukta Justice (Retd) R K Misra has asked the Tourism Department, which is the appointing authority, to file its reply by January 17 on why a long contract period with Drishti Beach Cleaning continued on ad hoc basis since 2016.
During the hearing on Friday, the Ombudsman sought to know from the dept whether the contractor granted the work of beach cleaning before roping in Drishti had handed over the existing dustbins and wants this reply as well, to be submitted before the next hearing.
The observation comes in response to a complaint filed by social activist Inacio Domnick Pereira alleging large-scale illegalities in purchasing of the dustbins through the private agency.
The counsel for the tourism dept submitted to the Lokayukta that the contract has been already issued to another firm from October 1, 2019, taking it away from Drishti.
NGO Hope Foundation, in May 2019 had moved the Lokayukta alleging massive scam in the purchase of dustbins while accusing Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, the then Tourism Director Sanjiv Gadkar and Drishti of being involved in the criminal offence.
Pereira alleged that he has procured various documents under RTI to support his claim that bulk purchase of dustbins by the tourism dept through Drishti was without tendering the works. “The entire scam is worth Rs 64 lakh. Interestingly, none of the dustbins procured except for one lot has bill provided to the dept though the money has been released. The bill that is provided for a single lot has the non existing address of a firm based at Ponda. It is thus clear that Drishti has produced fake bills in a bid to loot government exchequer,” he had said after lodging the complaint.
As per the information, the agency purchased the first lot of 178 dustbins at approx Rs 6.72 lakh followed by 255 dustbins at Rs 17 lakh. The third lot comprised of 710 dustbins at Rs 24.71 lakh while another 710 ART dustbins were procured at Rs 30.63 lakh. Pereira alleged that the former director failed to specify the requirement number of dustbins to be placed on beaches in the absence of any contract or agreement, and that the bills were also manipulated, which he claimed indicts corruption.
