Goemakrponn desk
PANAJI:
The Meghalaya Governor Satyapal Malik has opened the pandora’s box in his revelation to the national channel on COVID19 corruption during his tenure as Goa Governor.
In his interview, Malik made serious allegations against the CM Pramod Sawant, who he accused of total corruption during COVID times.
“There was ‘total’ corruption in the handling of everything in Goa. I ordered an inquiry, informed the PM. I was removed from the post because I exposed corruption,” he charged.
The BIG FAT COVID19 Corruption…
During the initial COVID19 days, every Government was taken aback as there was no preparedness, and due to lockdowns, there was no material available. Hence the material was purchased at higher prices.
However, the Goa government’s Health department purchased everything and anything at 10 times the market price, almost 18 months after the crisis started.
The ventilator scam…
The Central Government has purchased ICU ventilators for Rs 2.5 lakh each, and the same party government in the State has purchased ICU ventilators for nearly Rs 8.15 lakh each.
The Modi government has purchased 50,000 ventilators for a budget of Rs 2000 crore, which works out to Rs 2.5 lakh each.
The cash-strapped State government, or rather the Goa Medical College (GMC) and the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), have purchased the 200 ventilators for Rs 8,15,360 each. Moreover, the same ventilators are available online for anything between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh.
The procurement of the ventilators, which were ordered in March 2020, has been quite eventful.
The Government vide Order No. 7/12/2020-I1/PHD/773 dated 31/03/2020 had accorded approval for the purchase of ICU ventilators (200) from Innovative Medicare Technologies Pvt Ltd, Chandigarh costing Rs 16,30,72,000 to be debitable from the State Budget Head (State fund).
Accordingly, Goa Medical College had placed purchase orders for supply of 200 ventilators model Trilogy 202, make Philips, required for treatment of COVID-19 patients. However, the order was kept on hold since the purchase of ventilators is being done through District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Funds.
Thereafter, the Goa Medical College informed that they have received letter dated 04/06/2020 (Pg 58/C) from Innovative Medicare Technologies Pvt Ltd informing that company will supply 50 of model T 202 and 150 of model EVO-OBM, which is a high-end ventilator when compared to Trilogy 202, which is the ordered model at no extra cost and at same price.
Also the company was to supply their basic respirator support ventilators model Philip E-30-25 (especially designed for COVID-19 patients) as standby and sought the acceptance and to amend the purchase order issued in this regard.
The Head of the Department (HoD) of Anesthesiology accepted the offer of the company for supply of high-end ventilators at no extra cost against the Trilogy 202, which is the ordered model.
“The Government has approved to accord post facto approval towards the purchase of ICU Ventilators – 200 nos from Innovative Medicare Technologies Pvt Ltd, Chandigarh for an amount of Rs 16,30,72,000 inclusive of GST for COVID-19 pandemic at Goa Medical College & Hospital from District Minerals Foundation Fund, for the health emergency of COVID-19 in view of emergency in procurement.
The Cabinet note said that the procurement was done after obtaining administrative approvals and expenditure sanction from the Government/Finance Department without following codal formalities,” the Cabinet note says.
Similarly, the Government also approved the request of the company to supply 50 of model T 202 and 150 of model EVO-OBM, which is a high-end ventilator compared to Trilogy 202, which is the ordered model at no extra cost at the same price.
Finance Dept bypassed for
objecting to high rates
The State government made purchases worth crores of rupees without approval from the Finance Department, and it has now come to light that the department was bypassed as it had raised objections to purchases being made at ‘exorbitant rates’.
The Directorate of Health Services had said that no approvals of the Finance Department were required as the purchases were made utilising either National Health Mission (NHM) and National AYUSH Mission funds provided by the Central Government for which Mission Director, NHM and National AYUSH Mission is empowered to approve, or through District Mineral Fund/COVID Relief Fund for which necessary procedure has been followed by the Collectors/Revenue Department.
However, investigations have further revealed that Financer Department notings had clearly raised objections. “Even though the purchases on the urgent basis are being carried out, there has to be some reasonability,” said a senior Finance Department official, refusing to be named.
He said that the basic principle for procurement of goods and services is that you can purchase a nomination basis, but the rate has to be reasonable, and that has to be established by the Directorate of Health Services. “We have written every time on the file that the rates are too high,” said the official reacting to the Herald expose.
The official further said that the rates of the pulse oximeters also appear to be exorbitant at Rs 1300 each for 1500 pieces. “This quantity, we were told were available at Rs 500 per piece,” he said.
Directorate of Health Services and GMC had submitted the details of purchases made as per the needs and also to keep buffer stocks for days to come in view of the outbreak of COVID-19. As of now supplies have still not normalised as most items are not indigenously produced and are sourced from other States. Until the situation normalises, to ensure the health and safety of health personnel, the institutes will place orders to suppliers depending on availability, quality and delivery time.
