The beautification and landscaping project executed at the Cuncolim Municipal Council garbage treatment plant has come under the scanner of the audit party, with the Indian Audit and Accountant department clearly saying that the very purpose of beautification near the waste treatment site has turned out to be a wasteful expenditure of a whopping Rs 48.41 lakh.
the goan I network
MARGAO
In fact, the audit party has observed in its report for the period April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016 that when the team visited the garbage treatment site on March 2, 2017 for an inspection, there was no trace of any beautification work at the site, except for three/four shrubs. “There was no sign of any garden existing within the site. As the beautification work had incurred a huge expense of government grant of Rs 48.41 lakh, the municipal authorities should have ensured proper maintenance of the garden,” the audit
has stated.
Cuncolim Municipal Council had constructed a garbage treatment plant with a capacity of 10 MT per day near the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. The Council had received a garnet of Rs 5.69 crore out of which an expenditure of Rs 5.16 crore was incurred for the construction of the GTP and the plant was inaugurated on October 2, 2010.
The project had also estimated a beautification and landscaping work in the surroundings of the GTP to improve the aesthetic look of the site and the very purpose was to help in keeping the environment and surroundings clean.
The audit team scanned the municipal records and found that the Council possesses the following inventory of plants in the GTP area: Trees (400), shrubs (14900), palms, ferns (410), specimen plants (976), bamboos (250) and ground creepers/climbers (2438). In addition, the agency had stated that an area of 4,000 sq mt Mexican lawn and 900 sq m Crab grass were also being created and maintained by the Agency. The Audit has stated in the report that the Assistant Agricultural officer, in presence of Zonal Agriculture officer had inspected the site on April 13, 2012 and certified that all the varieties of plantations were identified and the payment of Rs 46.91 lakh was made to the agency.
“Due to non-maintenance of the GTP area by the CMC after August 1, 2012, the very purpose of the beautification made at the site for Rs 46.96 lakh, besides payment of consultancy fee amounting to Rs 1.50 lakh, has turned out to be a wasteful expenditure of Rs 48.41 lakh,” the audit stated.
The audit has also slammed the civic body for the outstanding arrears of revenue amounting to a whopping Rs 1.87 crore. On scrutiny of records relating to rent and house tax, besides other taxes maintained by the Council, a huge arrears could be seen in comparison to the collection. The audit reminded the civic body that the procedure of recovery of any amount due to the Municipal Council is clearly stipulated under the Goa Municipalities Act, saying the Act gives ample powers to the Council to recover the dues. Saying that Section 163 of the Act envisages a designated officer, namely a Recovery Officer to enforce the provisions of the Act, the Audit pointed out that the Council did not have a Recovery Officer, instead the recovery was carried out by the Council staff.
Audit report to come up for discussion
at CMC meet today
MARGAO: The Audit report dated April 3, 2017 submitted by the Audit officer, of the Accountant General of Goa, Indian Audit and Accounts Department will come up for discussion at the ordinary bio-monthly meeting of the Cuncolim civic body scheduled on May 19.
Friday’s ordinary meeting is newly elected Chairperson Polita Carneiro’s first meeting after assuming office and the meeting will not only discuss the audit report, but discuss on the present financial position of the Council as on March 31, 2017 and public hygiene and sanitation problem due to open garbage dumps and also stray dogs and cattle in the Municipal area. The meeting is also expected to review the pre-monsoon works in the Municipal area.
Rs 1.87 crore
outstanding
revenue
The audit has also slammed the civic body for the outstanding arrears of revenue amounting to a whopping Rs 1.87 crore. On scrutiny of records relating to rent and house tax, besides other taxes maintained by the Council, a huge arrears could be seen in comparison to the collection
