Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Former Corporation of City of Panaji Mayor Surendra Furtado has alleged a Rs 350 cr scam in the making in Panaji Smart City.
In a statement here, Furtado has said that it is indeed shocking to note that the Goa BJP State Govt, on the advice of the Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate has issued tenders for the construction of a Rs. 132 crore New Sewerage Network in Panaji without even taking the Experts and Technical Considerations in mind just because the Smart City Funds for the same are on the verge of lapsing due to inaction of Panaji MLA.
He said no scientific study was done keeping the topography, pressure, smooth flow, etc .
“Even more shocking is the Rs. 120 crore tender issued for construction of Smart Roads for Panaji,” he said.
“Furtado said that the sewerage network is usually completed first, and the road work is taken up. This work will take at least five years. In Taleigao, sewerage work is going on for 10 years now,” he alleged.
He said that a faulty sewerage network is being imposed on Panaji without a proper study to make sure the funds do not lapse.
“The roads will be done up first and then dug up for the faulty sewerage system and then again re-done and then again dug up to repair the defective sewerage system and then again re-done wasting at least Rs. 350 crore of precious public funds in the process,” he said.
He claimed that this is a massive scam in the making just to raise funds for the upcoming Assembly polls, which are expected to be a tough competition for the BJP defector run Govt.
“Will the hibernating Panaji MLA and the CM cum Finance Minister throw light on this massive scam in the making? Or is this another case of Personal Development instead of the State’s Development?” he asked.