Editor, Goemkarponn
AERIAL VIEW
CM must understand however good an officer may be, the corrupt system does not allow him to work as per his decisions. Besides, Sanjit Rodrigues, who has served Panaji before and understands Panaji well, is not a magician.
What kind of work did the CM expect from Sanjit? The corrupt have already taken their commissions, and the people of Panaji now have to suffer.
If the Chief Minister really wants to clear the mess in Panaji, he could do well to direct a probe into the Smart city handling.
Right from the tendering to the work orders or the execution of works, everything has to be probed.
Swayandipta Pal Chowdhary, the controversial CEO of IPSCDL, who splurged on Smart City funds, need to be arrested first. Only he can spill the beans of the people involved in the commission.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
As the people and many experts predicted, their worst nightmares of Panjimites have come true.
The ₹1000 cr Smart City Works has crumbled in the first rains itself. Every street in Panaji was flooded with the first downpour on Tuesday evening.
The rain gods were kind enough to give one month grace period to the Smart City Mission, the Corporation of the City of Panaji and the PWD to complete their work.
It seems like despite the Rain god’s largesse, the corrupt government could not give quality for the works that have been carried out.
Now who is to be blamed? The Goa Chief Secretary, who is the head of Administration, himself heads the IPSCDL.
The Panaji MLA Babush Monseratte is on record washing off his hands on any kind of controversy in Smart City works. He had said this good months ago that he does not rule out floods in Goa as the works are of sub-standard quality.
Monseratte and his Rohit, who is the CCP Mayor, are members of the IPSCDL committee.
Besides, Monseratte also said the Chief Minister, Dr Pramod Sawant, is personally monitoring the works.
Now if the Panaji MLA distances himself from the mess, who else is to be blamed? The onus is now on the Chief Minister to reprimand the Urban Development Minister Vishwajit Rane and the Chief Minister to answer some tough questions, isn’t it?
The Chief Minister kept intervening too late when the monsoons were on the doorsteps. He appointed a new officer IAS Sanjit Rodrigues to complete the work on time.
However, the CM must understand however good an officer may be, the corrupt system does not allow him to work as per his decisions. Besides, Sanjit Rodrigues, who has served Panaji before and understands Panaji well, is not a magician.
What kind of work did the CM expect from Sanjit? The corrupt have already taken their commissions, and the people of Panaji now have to suffer.
If the Chief Minister really wants to clear the mess in Panaji, he could do well to direct a probe into the Smart city handling.
Right from the tendering to the work orders or the execution of works, everything has to be probed.
Swayandipta Pal Chowdhary, the controversial CEO of IPSCDL, who splurged on Smart City funds, need to be arrested first. Only he can spill the beans of the people involved in the commission.
What is difficult to understand is that the CM and the other legislator know very well about corruption in Smart City; there is no accountability fixed as neither there is any inquiry or any arrests.
Successive IPSCDL CEOs and members claimed the works are monitored by Prime Minister himself. Does this mean that the PM approves of such corruption?
The CM needs to get the culprits behind bars irrespective of who they are, which party they belong to, and whether they are officers from State or IAS; nobody should be spared, as people have lost crores due to this criminal negligence.
Now it is just the beginning of monsoons “Picture toh Abhi baaki hai mere dost.”
