Drishti moves High Court
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Drishti Special Response Services (DSRS) has moved the High Court for failure of the Tourism department to fulfill contractual obligations, delay in paying 10 per cent increment since October 2013, failure to issue work orders for extended services and non-clearance of bills for services provided since January 2014 amounting to Rs 4.5 crore.
Dristhi is working on the coastline for the last five years and eight months.
The agency operating on extended contract since June 2013, has now sought intervention of the court and appropriate orders directing the government to pay the 10 per cent increment promised in 2012 by Tourism minister Dilip Parulekar and to issue valid work orders for January and February 2014 so that payments are made to DSRS for the services provided on the beaches.
While DSRS officials refused to speak on the petition filed in the court, a senior official in the Tourism department said, “The government will be filing its reply before the court when the matter comes up next week.”
The department continued to reiterate that administrative and financial approvals have not been granted for the extended services since January 2014. However, sources point out that the agency has saved close to 1,900 lives during the last five years and eight months.
The petitioners have also drawn the attention of the court in its petition that despite being selected as a preferred bidder in December 2013 after fresh tenders were invited, no fresh work orders have been issued to the agency despite the tender having being decided in a case in the High Court.
They have voiced apprehensions that absence of work orders for further extended period of services since January 2014 is causing hardships to the agency and it is answerable to its 600 staff which includes lifeguards and supporting workforce.
The petition filed before the High Court this month has sought for directions from the court to the respondents which include the government (through the Chief Secretary) and the Tourism department through its director.
According to the petition, the government owes DSRS close to Rs 4.5 crore since January 2014. It has prayed that all its pending dues be cleared and beach safety programme be continued as per the new tender.
The agency operating on extended contract since June 2013, has now sought intervention of the court and appropriate orders directing the government to pay the 10 per cent increment promised in 2012 by Tourism minister Dilip Parulekar and to issue valid work orders for January and February 2014 so that payments are made to DSRS for the services provided on the beaches
