Goa remains tourism hub for millions of Indians. Well it certainly is a mammoth task to keep the buzzing city clean for incoming tourists. Well, this cleaning does not come without its share of controversies.
Goa tourism department said it is scaling down the price of the controversial beach cleanliness contract after complaints were filed by the opposition and other in Lokayukta. Goa Lokayukta is already hearing a complaint filed by Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte and social activist Aires Rodrigues over alleged irregularities to the tune of Rs 14 crore in tendering of beach cleanliness. However, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which conducted an inquiry into the matter, recently gave a clean chit to state Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar.
“We are waiting for the order from Lokayukta. The department has already decided to scale down the contract price when it would be renewed again,” the minister said. The price cut has come due to a cut in the scope of work for the contractor. “Now they have to just lift the garbage from the beaches and send it for processing at the treatment plant. On their part, they don’t have to treat it. The existing price of Rs 14 crore per year would be scaled down to Rs 8 to 10 crore annually during renewal,” Parulekar said.
Despite the clean chit The Porvorim MLA insists that action against the concerned minister (Parulekar) should continue.