Republic of Malar?
On February 11, 2008 to be precise, when I submitted a series of questions under RTI to the Malar VP in the island of Divar, the instant reaction of the secretary was: 'why do you want to put us in trouble?' He had barely read the questions, but understood instantly the implications. The VP did write back on March 3 saying the information was ready –"could you collect it?' When I did, the answers were not ready and my inquiry obtained this response: "The Xerox machine is not working." Eventually, the VP reluctantly submitted answers to some rather simple questions, as you can fathom yourself. But, it appeared to fear even a casual scrutiny of its performance; apparently because such an examination had never occurred before. Fact is this VP does nothing except approve of unexplained expenditure here and there and that of the fat cats who run it like their private fiefdom.
Lackadaisical Malar VP
Proof of this is many of Malar's residents refuse to pay house tax because the VP has done nothing to deserve their money. Albeit, small amounts for individuals, but huge if collectively accounted for and because that goes only to pay for only the upkeep of the VP's administrative machinery. In May 2008 as a consequence Rs 87,222.90 was the amount of unpaid house tax. But a fibreglass boat builder earning crores of rupees in Malar has been levied house tax of Rs 2500 for its "old existing rooms and Rs10,000 for the remaining construction and bonded house." My question 'on what basis is the tax calculated' was never answered! As for the island's ayurvedic resort, it has been levied tax at the rate of Rs 5-10 per M2 on the old structure and Rs15 per M2 on new structures. In incomprehensible English, the VP appeared to have suggested that tax was levied on the assumption the room tariff was Rs1000! But, I could be way off the mark. Again, no details were offered on how the tax was calculated.
Dramatically, within weeks, a bunch of school kids were hired and sent out to re-measure a few houses in Malar ostensibly because the VP wanted to review its house tax levy. They were not briefed properly, ignorant of the task at hand and had the impudence to produce a blank form which they asked home owners to sign. So pitiful was this hoax, it died a natural death.
Or VP of self-employment!
Here are more stats for you to make your own mind up: a) Amount of administrative grants for payment of VP salaries: 2005 - Rs20,000, 2006 - Rs20,000, 2007 - Rs40,000
To the many who do not know, administrative grants are earmarked only for 'weak' VPs, that is, VPs with a non-planned gap. In other words the VPs establishment and maintainence costs deducted from its own resources (or revenue) is what amounts to non-planned gap. In other words administrative grants pay for non-planned gap. Put more succinctly, it means your valuable tax money pays only for the administrative upkeep in the case of the 'weak' Malar VP because it does nothing else but 'administrate' itself. It even admitted submitting two resolutions, one each to the PWD to repair roads (easily Goa's worst for a VP) and one to the Irrigation Department to repair the bunds greedy fish contractors destroy routinely in both VPs in Divar Island without a care for the destruction they cause. Apart from this, the only other social or welfare work it did was to handout out some minor sums of money to a blatantly one-sided choice of recipients. Herald has this list as well as the salaries paid to the panchas from 2005.
b)Amount of matching grants: 2005 - Rs 64,496, 2006 - Rs1,88,841, 2007 - Rs 1,92,222.
Matching grants are when a VP's own revenue is equally matched by a government grant. An example of the Malar VP's inability to mop up revenue is it earned revenues of Rs16,167 as light tax in 2005-06, Rs 14,657 in 2006-07 and Rs10,159 in2007-08. During these years it did not earn revenue from trade tax and only earned Rs 1200 from signboard tax. There was no revenue earned either from hoarding tax.
Amount of 12th Finance Commission grants: 2005 –Nil,
2006 - Rs94,700, 2007 –Nil, 2008 – Rs2,44,974.
This form of central aid has even exposed the poor overall performance of Goa VPs because annually, these funds have been totally underutilized. For example, the current scheme ends on March 31, 2010 and funds allotted for entire Goa is Rs18 cr. If 70 percent of this is not utilized, and it will not be, according to a source, the fund 'lapses' and Goa will not get additional funding.
House tax collected: 2005-06 - Rs79,806, 2006-07 - Rs79,582, 2007-08 Rs38,591
House tax pending: 2005-06 -Rs67,552, 2006-07 Rs64,227, 2007-08 Rs1,01,893
Expenditure statement
2005 2006-07 2007-08
Administration Rs2,80,852 Rs3,17,476 Rs2,60,615
Public works Rs1,82,455 Rs4,97,541 Rs1,61,748
Sanitation Rs 900 Rs2,12,355 Rs 40,000
Social welfare Rs 5,200 Rs 13,580 Rs 5,100
Education
& Culture Rs 10,018 Rs 11,817 Rs 10,909
Miscellaneous Rs 25,354 Rs 43,274 Rs73,578
(Feedback lionroars.goa@gmail.com, 9763718501)
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
More Grim Ferry Tales
More Fairy Tales
On September 19, 2008 three tenders to construct two new ferry boats were opened and another Satyam-like scam unveiled instead. Because as has been exposed for the umpteenth time in this column, strange things happen in Goa's tendering process. Only one bidder, Wadia Boat Builders of Gujarat, quoted sticking to the specifications laid out. Wadia quoted Rs 90,00,000 to construct each ferry against, as I wrote earlier, the cost estimated by the department to be Rs 30 lakh for a ferry that can carry five cars. A ferry that could take six cars costs Rs 35 lakh. But that is understandable because as you know well by now, everybody but a Goan, gets to eat off the Goan party cake speaking metaphorically.
Yet, in the voluminous note put up by the office of the River Navigation Department, the bid was 100 per cent above its estimated cost of Rs 45,00,000. This estimate is obviously way off target. Such is the laxity in the process of tendering in Goa that Ratna Engineering Works, Vasco, quoted Rs 69,75,000 and Vijai Marine Services also of Vasco quoted Rs 78,00,000. If you recall, the same two bidders staged a neck-to-neck race in the tenders for repairing three ferries; blatantly quoting the same rates for several items. They apparently enacted another two-horse race this time too. And guess what? This time they just decided to ignore the specifications laid out by the River Navigation Department. Then why quote at all? Perhaps, they thought they could convince the government to give one of them the contract on the basis of their lower quotes. And the rest falls into place. Now, the government has to re-tender for these three new ferries in addition to the four new ferries that were approved by it separately.
What Rubbish!
No, this is not another ferry tale, but a tall tale told to a rival paper by the Malar (in Divar island) deputy sarpanch Tulsidas Kundaikar, claiming the Malar Village Panchayat was on the look-out for a garbage dumping site. But, all his proposals have been nixed by the Goa Pollution Control Board. There's an even greater story here, in that Kundaikar, is probably the longest living deputy sarpanch who is actually the acting sarpanch. The panchas of Malar somehow contrived to get the woman sarpanch (this is a reserved post) to resign. Next, they somehow contrived to ensure the next woman in line refused the hot seat. And so, Kundaikar is back in the saddle he has reserved for himself for a long, long, long time. In fact, residents of Malar are intrigued why the Director of Panchayats, Menino Peres, who shoots off letters to other village panchayats taking sides with mega builders and goes through great pains to explain in public that the Gram Sabha is not the powerful peoples' movement it is thought to be; has not asked the Malar VP to explain its blatantly anti-reservationist act.
Why can't the Malar VP acquire a garbage dumping site? The answer is not because this government cannot bully some poor landlord into parting with his precious land. The answer is because this panchayat simply does not have the funds to collect and dump garbage in the first place. It is totally bereft of imagination, ideas and most of all funds. It is consumed by itself and in reimbursing its own expenditures and the salaries of panchas. Right this moment in fact, over a hundred migrant labourers have camped on its premises creating a horrifying, stinky mess inappropriate to describe in this paper, but I am sure you can imagine. The labourers are here to build a road, the very same panchayat neglected for several years, will regrettably (but unavoidably because the problem is not theirs) stay on for at least a month. In fact, do read next week how this VP could easily be Goa's worst managed.
(Feedback lionroars.goa@gmail.com, 97637185010)
--
On September 19, 2008 three tenders to construct two new ferry boats were opened and another Satyam-like scam unveiled instead. Because as has been exposed for the umpteenth time in this column, strange things happen in Goa's tendering process. Only one bidder, Wadia Boat Builders of Gujarat, quoted sticking to the specifications laid out. Wadia quoted Rs 90,00,000 to construct each ferry against, as I wrote earlier, the cost estimated by the department to be Rs 30 lakh for a ferry that can carry five cars. A ferry that could take six cars costs Rs 35 lakh. But that is understandable because as you know well by now, everybody but a Goan, gets to eat off the Goan party cake speaking metaphorically.
Yet, in the voluminous note put up by the office of the River Navigation Department, the bid was 100 per cent above its estimated cost of Rs 45,00,000. This estimate is obviously way off target. Such is the laxity in the process of tendering in Goa that Ratna Engineering Works, Vasco, quoted Rs 69,75,000 and Vijai Marine Services also of Vasco quoted Rs 78,00,000. If you recall, the same two bidders staged a neck-to-neck race in the tenders for repairing three ferries; blatantly quoting the same rates for several items. They apparently enacted another two-horse race this time too. And guess what? This time they just decided to ignore the specifications laid out by the River Navigation Department. Then why quote at all? Perhaps, they thought they could convince the government to give one of them the contract on the basis of their lower quotes. And the rest falls into place. Now, the government has to re-tender for these three new ferries in addition to the four new ferries that were approved by it separately.
What Rubbish!
No, this is not another ferry tale, but a tall tale told to a rival paper by the Malar (in Divar island) deputy sarpanch Tulsidas Kundaikar, claiming the Malar Village Panchayat was on the look-out for a garbage dumping site. But, all his proposals have been nixed by the Goa Pollution Control Board. There's an even greater story here, in that Kundaikar, is probably the longest living deputy sarpanch who is actually the acting sarpanch. The panchas of Malar somehow contrived to get the woman sarpanch (this is a reserved post) to resign. Next, they somehow contrived to ensure the next woman in line refused the hot seat. And so, Kundaikar is back in the saddle he has reserved for himself for a long, long, long time. In fact, residents of Malar are intrigued why the Director of Panchayats, Menino Peres, who shoots off letters to other village panchayats taking sides with mega builders and goes through great pains to explain in public that the Gram Sabha is not the powerful peoples' movement it is thought to be; has not asked the Malar VP to explain its blatantly anti-reservationist act.
Why can't the Malar VP acquire a garbage dumping site? The answer is not because this government cannot bully some poor landlord into parting with his precious land. The answer is because this panchayat simply does not have the funds to collect and dump garbage in the first place. It is totally bereft of imagination, ideas and most of all funds. It is consumed by itself and in reimbursing its own expenditures and the salaries of panchas. Right this moment in fact, over a hundred migrant labourers have camped on its premises creating a horrifying, stinky mess inappropriate to describe in this paper, but I am sure you can imagine. The labourers are here to build a road, the very same panchayat neglected for several years, will regrettably (but unavoidably because the problem is not theirs) stay on for at least a month. In fact, do read next week how this VP could easily be Goa's worst managed.
(Feedback lionroars.goa@gmail.com, 97637185010)
--
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Grim Ferry Tales
Fairy tales
Last week I revealed how three bidders blatantly formed a cartel to bid for a tender to repair three ferries that were begging to be repaired for a long, long time. Just to recap: Ratna Engineering Works quoted as follows in respect of the requirement; steel to be renewed: Chandor Rs 23,02,000; Quepem Rs 18,65,200; Dudhsagar Rs 6,48,830. Requirement of scraping, chipping, painting: Chandor Rs 2,65,053, Quepem Rs 2,65,053, Dudhsagar Rs 2,65,053. Requirement of carpentry repairs: Chandor Rs 3,82,514; Quepem Rs 2,77,970; Dudhsagar Rs 37,450. Requirement of stern gear repairs: Chandor Rs 46,900; Quepem Rs 46,900; Dudhsagar Rs 89,700. Requirement of engine and gearbox repairs: Chandor Rs 82,111, Quepem Rs 82,111, Dudhsagar 82,111. Requirement of repairing winch and steering system: Chandor Rs 1,31,800; Quepem Rs 1,31,800; Dudhsagar Rs 1,31,800. Requirement of electrical repairs: Chandor Rs 47,070; Quepem Rs 47,070; Dudshagar Rs 47,070.
There was something awry in the entire bidding, in that they all looked suspiciously similar, except for this one revealing factor. The red herring was the item 'steel to be renewed.' The giveaway is so obviously the Rs 6,48,830 that was quoted and which was well below the two other quotes of Rs 23,02,00 and Rs 18,65,200 in this item.
Jai Vijay
Now compare the bids of Vijai Marine Services. In respect of the requirement steel to be renewed: Chandor Rs 24,28,483; Quepem Rs 19,67,683; Dudhsagar Rs 6, 84,480. Requirement of scraping, chipping, painting: Chandor Rs 3,34,907; Quepem Rs 3,34,907; Dudhsagar Rs 3,34,907. Requirement of carpentry repairs: Chandor Rs 4,36,010; Quepem Rs 3,38,000; Dudhsagar Rs 69,950. Requirement of stern gear repairs: Chandor Rs 49,600; Quepem Rs 49,600; Dudhsagar Rs 1,02,000. Requirement of engine and gearbox repairs: Chandor Rs 96,611, Quepem Rs 96,611; Dudhsagar Rs 96,611. Requirement of repairing winch and steering system: Chandor Rs 1,48,800; Quepem Rs 1,48,800; Dudhsagar Rs 1,48,880. Requirement of Electrical repairs: Chandor Rs 51,720; Quepem Rs 51,720; Dudhsagar Rs 51,720. I say Jai Vijay because evidently they did not ink the tender directly but did so discreetly, to help a friend.
Proof of the pudding that didn't sell
Here's how. Take the item scraping, chipping and painting. Both Ratna Engineering and Vijai Marine each quoted identical figures for the three ferries they tendered for. Ditto for engine and gearbox repairs. Ditto for winch and steering systems. Ditto for electrical repairs. Yet the River Navigation Department estimated the total cost of repairs to be as follows: Chandor Rs 27,19,757, Quepem Rs 21,96,836, and Dudhsagar Rs 9,76,489. Point is, simply, how can you quote similar amounts for repair works when the officially (by RND) estimated total cost for each ferry differs greatly from each other. Obviously, they have to, because no two repair works can cost the same. Ever. In the end Vijai Marine quoted 30.88 per cent above the officially estimated cost for Chandor, 35.98 per cent above for Quepem and a whopping 52.43 per cent high on Dudhsagar. Ratna quoted 19.76 per cent above the officially estimated cost for Chandor, 23.63 per cent above for Quepem and 33.33 per cent above for Dudhsagar.
Rapeland
From Fun, Feni and Food, we appear to have moved on to Rape and Molestation. Since, we brought it on ourselves, we will just have to sweep it under the carpet and pretend it didn't happen, as always. Kerala, where I spent Christmas and New Year had one case of molestation (only) at the celebrated Kochi beach. The molesters or as a minister called them "perverts" were instantly arrested by plainclothes police, who after a similar incident on New Year's eve last year, just got wiser this year and left their uniforms at office. That is the difference for the cynics amongst us. Not going to happen in Goa. At Kovalam's Hawa beach, a single metal detector was used to screen literally thousands of local voyeurs making their annual pilgrimage to this popular beach. Truly, you have to see this phenomenon happening at Kovalam for yourself to believe me. It's been that way for decades, but a handful of efficient cops do their job and well. The beach had no bunkers. It did not look like Goa's embattled beaches and yet somewhere there must have been lurking cops in plainclothes.
(Feedback 6658606/ 9822152164, lionroars.goa@gmail.com )
Last week I revealed how three bidders blatantly formed a cartel to bid for a tender to repair three ferries that were begging to be repaired for a long, long time. Just to recap: Ratna Engineering Works quoted as follows in respect of the requirement; steel to be renewed: Chandor Rs 23,02,000; Quepem Rs 18,65,200; Dudhsagar Rs 6,48,830. Requirement of scraping, chipping, painting: Chandor Rs 2,65,053, Quepem Rs 2,65,053, Dudhsagar Rs 2,65,053. Requirement of carpentry repairs: Chandor Rs 3,82,514; Quepem Rs 2,77,970; Dudhsagar Rs 37,450. Requirement of stern gear repairs: Chandor Rs 46,900; Quepem Rs 46,900; Dudhsagar Rs 89,700. Requirement of engine and gearbox repairs: Chandor Rs 82,111, Quepem Rs 82,111, Dudhsagar 82,111. Requirement of repairing winch and steering system: Chandor Rs 1,31,800; Quepem Rs 1,31,800; Dudhsagar Rs 1,31,800. Requirement of electrical repairs: Chandor Rs 47,070; Quepem Rs 47,070; Dudshagar Rs 47,070.
There was something awry in the entire bidding, in that they all looked suspiciously similar, except for this one revealing factor. The red herring was the item 'steel to be renewed.' The giveaway is so obviously the Rs 6,48,830 that was quoted and which was well below the two other quotes of Rs 23,02,00 and Rs 18,65,200 in this item.
Jai Vijay
Now compare the bids of Vijai Marine Services. In respect of the requirement steel to be renewed: Chandor Rs 24,28,483; Quepem Rs 19,67,683; Dudhsagar Rs 6, 84,480. Requirement of scraping, chipping, painting: Chandor Rs 3,34,907; Quepem Rs 3,34,907; Dudhsagar Rs 3,34,907. Requirement of carpentry repairs: Chandor Rs 4,36,010; Quepem Rs 3,38,000; Dudhsagar Rs 69,950. Requirement of stern gear repairs: Chandor Rs 49,600; Quepem Rs 49,600; Dudhsagar Rs 1,02,000. Requirement of engine and gearbox repairs: Chandor Rs 96,611, Quepem Rs 96,611; Dudhsagar Rs 96,611. Requirement of repairing winch and steering system: Chandor Rs 1,48,800; Quepem Rs 1,48,800; Dudhsagar Rs 1,48,880. Requirement of Electrical repairs: Chandor Rs 51,720; Quepem Rs 51,720; Dudhsagar Rs 51,720. I say Jai Vijay because evidently they did not ink the tender directly but did so discreetly, to help a friend.
Proof of the pudding that didn't sell
Here's how. Take the item scraping, chipping and painting. Both Ratna Engineering and Vijai Marine each quoted identical figures for the three ferries they tendered for. Ditto for engine and gearbox repairs. Ditto for winch and steering systems. Ditto for electrical repairs. Yet the River Navigation Department estimated the total cost of repairs to be as follows: Chandor Rs 27,19,757, Quepem Rs 21,96,836, and Dudhsagar Rs 9,76,489. Point is, simply, how can you quote similar amounts for repair works when the officially (by RND) estimated total cost for each ferry differs greatly from each other. Obviously, they have to, because no two repair works can cost the same. Ever. In the end Vijai Marine quoted 30.88 per cent above the officially estimated cost for Chandor, 35.98 per cent above for Quepem and a whopping 52.43 per cent high on Dudhsagar. Ratna quoted 19.76 per cent above the officially estimated cost for Chandor, 23.63 per cent above for Quepem and 33.33 per cent above for Dudhsagar.
Rapeland
From Fun, Feni and Food, we appear to have moved on to Rape and Molestation. Since, we brought it on ourselves, we will just have to sweep it under the carpet and pretend it didn't happen, as always. Kerala, where I spent Christmas and New Year had one case of molestation (only) at the celebrated Kochi beach. The molesters or as a minister called them "perverts" were instantly arrested by plainclothes police, who after a similar incident on New Year's eve last year, just got wiser this year and left their uniforms at office. That is the difference for the cynics amongst us. Not going to happen in Goa. At Kovalam's Hawa beach, a single metal detector was used to screen literally thousands of local voyeurs making their annual pilgrimage to this popular beach. Truly, you have to see this phenomenon happening at Kovalam for yourself to believe me. It's been that way for decades, but a handful of efficient cops do their job and well. The beach had no bunkers. It did not look like Goa's embattled beaches and yet somewhere there must have been lurking cops in plainclothes.
(Feedback 6658606/ 9822152164, lionroars.goa@gmail.com )
More Ferry Tales
Ferry tale of ferries
Sometime ago the River Navigation Department issued a tender notice calling for bidders to repair six ferries. That really happened some time ago as I have suggested meaningfully just to put across the point that this government and its River Navigation minister are really casual towards the whole affair. It is difficult to assess but the estimates were probably actuated by experts, but were probably put down as matter-of-fact. The fact remains this is what the 'experts' determined.
DETAILS OF THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS
Dudhsagar Rs 32,22,430
Quepem Rs 31,12,098
Chandor Rs 37,07,576
Zuari Rs 35,88,741
Canacona Rs 38,27,481
Harvalem Rs 32,82,747
The date fixed for opening of the bids was November 14, 2008.
These estimates were made by the department despite its claim that building a new ferry costs Rs 30 lakhs for what is loosely termed as a ferry that can carry five cars. A barge builder I spoke to agreed with this cost adding a ferry that could take six cars would cost Rs 35 lakh.
In Divar of course this has no meaning, because most of its people, among other things prefer breaking the queue. They literally nudge in to your car as happened to me on Saturday night by a very middle class gentleman; or as Ratnakar Dandekar's huge truck does, barges into you. The driver apparently thinks, like all his bosses, that the Indian economy exists because of them, and therefore they can take over the narrow lanes of Divar. But back to the problem of road rage driving by the islanders. I really need to wonder in this column why people take out their ire on fellow villagers and not on MLA Pundurang Madkaikar who frankly is doing doing nothing for Divar.
Let the tales begin
Ratna Engineering Works quoted as follows in respect of the requirement; steel to be renewed: Chandor Rs 23,02,000; Quepem Rs 18,65,200; Dudhsagar Rs 6,48,830. Requirement of scrapping, chipping, painting: Chandor Rs 2,65,053, Quepem Rs 2,65,053Dudhsagar Rs 2,65,053. Requirement of carpentry repairs: Chandor Rs 3,82,514; Quepem Rs 2,77,970; Dudhsagar Rs 3,74,450. Requirement of stern gear repairs: Chandor Rs 46,900; Quepem Rs 46,900; Dudhsagar Rs 89,700. Requirement of engine and gearbox: Chandor Rs 82,111, Quepem Rs 82,111, Dudhsagar 82,111. Requirement of repairing winch and steering system: Chandor Rs 1,31,800; Quepem Rs 1,31,800; Dudhsagar Rs 1,31,800. Requirement of electrical repairs: Chandor Rs 47,070; Quepem Rs 47,070; Dudshagar Rs 47,070.
I know I called on you to use your imagination in the farce called 'renovation of the garden at Rua De Ourem.' Do it again. That is why the government called this bluff. Not for your sake, but because one of the bidders used his influence and your montris made a noise in the hallowed Assembly.
The bluff
Take a look at the cost of replacing the corroded steel plates of the three ferries in question. How far off is Rs 6 lakh from Rs 23 lakh? You could be right in asking the question: will the department's surveyors consider the sharp drop in the price of steel when the tender is finally reissued. Do you think I could be wrong if I ventured to say that very obviously, and you can see that for yourself, that one bidder actually, simply, and clearly wrote out the other bids himself. Really, if you can't then I need to get a life.
(Feedback 6658606, lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
Sometime ago the River Navigation Department issued a tender notice calling for bidders to repair six ferries. That really happened some time ago as I have suggested meaningfully just to put across the point that this government and its River Navigation minister are really casual towards the whole affair. It is difficult to assess but the estimates were probably actuated by experts, but were probably put down as matter-of-fact. The fact remains this is what the 'experts' determined.
DETAILS OF THE ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS
Dudhsagar Rs 32,22,430
Quepem Rs 31,12,098
Chandor Rs 37,07,576
Zuari Rs 35,88,741
Canacona Rs 38,27,481
Harvalem Rs 32,82,747
The date fixed for opening of the bids was November 14, 2008.
These estimates were made by the department despite its claim that building a new ferry costs Rs 30 lakhs for what is loosely termed as a ferry that can carry five cars. A barge builder I spoke to agreed with this cost adding a ferry that could take six cars would cost Rs 35 lakh.
In Divar of course this has no meaning, because most of its people, among other things prefer breaking the queue. They literally nudge in to your car as happened to me on Saturday night by a very middle class gentleman; or as Ratnakar Dandekar's huge truck does, barges into you. The driver apparently thinks, like all his bosses, that the Indian economy exists because of them, and therefore they can take over the narrow lanes of Divar. But back to the problem of road rage driving by the islanders. I really need to wonder in this column why people take out their ire on fellow villagers and not on MLA Pundurang Madkaikar who frankly is doing doing nothing for Divar.
Let the tales begin
Ratna Engineering Works quoted as follows in respect of the requirement; steel to be renewed: Chandor Rs 23,02,000; Quepem Rs 18,65,200; Dudhsagar Rs 6,48,830. Requirement of scrapping, chipping, painting: Chandor Rs 2,65,053, Quepem Rs 2,65,053Dudhsagar Rs 2,65,053. Requirement of carpentry repairs: Chandor Rs 3,82,514; Quepem Rs 2,77,970; Dudhsagar Rs 3,74,450. Requirement of stern gear repairs: Chandor Rs 46,900; Quepem Rs 46,900; Dudhsagar Rs 89,700. Requirement of engine and gearbox: Chandor Rs 82,111, Quepem Rs 82,111, Dudhsagar 82,111. Requirement of repairing winch and steering system: Chandor Rs 1,31,800; Quepem Rs 1,31,800; Dudhsagar Rs 1,31,800. Requirement of electrical repairs: Chandor Rs 47,070; Quepem Rs 47,070; Dudshagar Rs 47,070.
I know I called on you to use your imagination in the farce called 'renovation of the garden at Rua De Ourem.' Do it again. That is why the government called this bluff. Not for your sake, but because one of the bidders used his influence and your montris made a noise in the hallowed Assembly.
The bluff
Take a look at the cost of replacing the corroded steel plates of the three ferries in question. How far off is Rs 6 lakh from Rs 23 lakh? You could be right in asking the question: will the department's surveyors consider the sharp drop in the price of steel when the tender is finally reissued. Do you think I could be wrong if I ventured to say that very obviously, and you can see that for yourself, that one bidder actually, simply, and clearly wrote out the other bids himself. Really, if you can't then I need to get a life.
(Feedback 6658606, lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
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