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.