Covid-19 has affected almost the entire world with some of the nations losing thousands and millions to this pandemic. With the scientists trying to find a vaccine in order to contain it, the virus has come up one up against humanity. Sports, however, has managed to find a way with the Euro 20 and the Tokyo Olympics being held with restrictions though. Goa has also suffered in the sports arena, although the games are slowly crawling back to the stadiums. The National Games, allotted to the State in 2008, have been postponed numerous times and a tentative date is difficult to find, but the government is determined to organise the event come October. The Games mascot Rubigula has already been unveiled in January, 2020. But is Goa ready for the Games?
At least according to the Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Sports Minister Babu Ajgaonkar confirming in the last Assembly session that the State is ready to host the Games. Initially, the 36th edition of the National Games (postponed since 2016) was delayed because the infrastructure was not ready. Now the government has found another excuse – Coronavirus. Ajgaonkar told the House that the government has already spent Rs 450 crore on creation of the infrastructure and that Rs 121.80 crore is sanctioned and released by the Central government. The organising committee has drawn up a budget of Rs 202 crore for the Games and Sawant has assured there would not be any shortage of funds to conduct the much-delayed event as and when it happens. Sawant said that Rs 150 crore has been set aside for the successful conduct of the Games.
Of the 11 complexes/stadiums, five (Navelim, Fatorda, Sawalwada, Campal and Ponda), the government has claimed, have been completed and the remaining six would be completed soon. Those pending include the Mapusa complex, upgradation of squash court at Chicalim and lawn tennis courts at Fatorda. Is this the reality? Team Herald has discovered that it is not.
The astro turf laid at the Mapusa Sports Complex had been initially rejected by the Indian Olympic Association officials after an inspection and the State government told that it had to be replaced. Has the government followed the instructions? Apparently yes, but with a ‘gift’ for the service provider. The contractor, who had laid the hockey astro turf, instead of being branded as ‘unfit’ has been allotted another contract to lay the astro turf for the renovation of the sports complex at St Cruz.
The hockey turf at Mapusa, has already been replaced by the contractor, who has managed to grab another at St Cruz, although his bid was the second lowest. The renovation contract has been awarded for Rs 4.90 crore when the Central government funding was Rs 4.24 crore. This is likely to incur a loss of Rs 1.9 crore for the Treasury, as alleged by a former MLA of Santa Cruz.
Campal swimming complex
The swimming complex at Campal is also in troubled waters. According to a letter from the Sports Authority of Goa (Herald has a copy) it has issued a termination order to Ms Renaissance Aqua Sports Private Limited, New Delhi, the firm which was first allotted the existing swimming pool at Campal to take it to the international level so that it would be ready for the National Games.
The Goa Cabinet, on Aug, 25, 2021, however, has allotted Chlorination Engineering, Mumbai to complete the balance work of refurbishment of the swimming pool.
It is learnt that SAG officials had made the deal with the Delhi firm in Delhi. Why was the New Delhi firm then given the termination order? The refurbishment of the existing swimming pool at Campal was awarded the work and given a deadline of Feb 10, 2019. Since the contractor failed to finish in the stipulated time it was given an extension till March 31, 2020 without imposition of any fine. However, the contractor once again failed to complete the work within the first extension and was granted a further extension till April 4, 2021 but with a penalty. The contractor was granted a total period of 547 additional days for completion of the work. An amount of Rs 41,61,449 was paid to the firm.
The Sports Authority of Goa, having noted that there was only about 30% of physical progress after granting the contractor 547 additional days, recovered the money deposit by forfeit by checking the work executed till July 5, 2021. The SAG decided to end the contract via a letter dated June 14, 2021 and also said that the firm would not be allowed to participate in the tendering process for the balance work.
When Team Herald visited the Campal complex last week, there were some labourers working on the refurbishment. A labourer was erecting a wall in the filtration plant while a concrete mixer was being used by another set of workers to fill up a wall at the entrance on the seaside of the complex. With the Cabinet decision on August 25, the issue of the refurbishment of the existing swimming pool has now been solved.
The Executive Director of SAG, answering a call from Herald office, said that work was continuing at the complex. This was confirmed by Team Herald on their visit to the complex. However, it is reliably learnt that the contractor took SAG to the High Court and after losing, was apparently looking to appeal to the higher court. But since the Goa Cabinet decision on August 24, to allot the contract to Chlorination Engineering, Mumbai, the Delhi contractor has decided against moving higher courts.
The officials at the complex would not allow any pictures to be taken of the interior of the complex with Herald photographer returning by getting pictures of the stadium from outside.
According to the Termination Order (14/06/2021), the SAG “would undertake the execution of the balance work (pending/not executed as per the contract) at the risk and cost of the contractor by retaining the admissible amount, till such time, the entire work under the existing contact is executed by this authority (SAG) through engagement of another contractor or otherwise, so as to accommodate for additional expenses, if any, against execution of the said work inter-alia, any additional work to be undertaken on account of this default. The difference will be recovered through the admissible amount and the balance amount, if any, shall be paid thereafter and the contractor shall not be allowed to participate in the tendering process.
