Beach cleaning scam: ex-tourism chief had proposed termination of contract

The Hindu‎‎: Panaji: Saturday, July 30, 2016.

The issue of “beach cleaning scam” continues to haunt Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar as information obtained by a right to information(RTI) activist has revealed that the then Director of Tourism Ameya Abhyankar had proposed that the current controversial beach cleaning contract be terminated for not fulfilling major conditions of the tender.

Releasing the information obtained through an RTI query, activist lawyer Aires Rodrigues said on Friday that in his four-page note Mr. Abhyankar, while giving detailed reasons, had further proposed that the department go in for a fresh tender.

“Was it a sheer coincidence that the government the very next day transferred Mr. Abhyankar?” asked Mr. Rodrigues.

As per the file notings furnished, the then Secretary Tourism R.K. Srivastava, presently the Chief Secretary on extension, concurred with the proposal of Mr. Abhyankar and sent the file to the Tourism Minister.

Mr. Parulekar, in his notings, while directing that the matter be placed before the State-Level Monitoring Committee ordered that an opportunity of hearing be given to the contractor in fulfilment of the principles of natural justice.

It may be recalled that the Goa Government in September 2014 awarded the contract of Comprehensive Management of cleanliness of north Goa beaches to Bhumika Cleantech Services Pvt Ltd., Mumbai at an annual cost of Rs.7.51 crores and the cleaning of south Goa beaches to Ram Cleansers & Developers Pvt. Ltd. at a cost of Rs 7.04 crores. Both the companies are owned by Manish Mohata. Earlier, the cleaning of Goa beaches was costing the State Government an average of a mere Rs.2 crores, annually.

Goa Lokayukta Justice(retd) P.K Misra is currently hearing complaints filed by Mr. Rodrigues and an Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte alleging that the beach cleaning contract was a multi-crore scam.

The next hearing is scheduled on August 2. The Lokayukta has already by an interim order restrained the Government from making any further payments to the beach cleaning contractor.

Mr. Rodrigues has alleged that the contractor instead of cleaning the beaches was emptying the State coffers in connivance with Mr. Parulekar.