Will the audit take cognisance of the two e-rickshaws, launched by the Margao civic body on Independency Day to clean up the city footpaths and pavements, lying in the Municipal garage?
The Margao Municipal Council had paid an amount of Rs 8 lakh to the contractor for maintenance of the vehicles without inviting codal formalities. In fact the civic body had paid the entire amount to the contractor without obtaining a performance guarantee, but accepted a cheque as security.
However, when the civic body deposited the cheque in the bank after the contractor failed to deliver the services, the bank replied back saying the contractor has conveyed a message not to accept the cheque.
Since then, the two e-rickshaws have been lying in the Municipal garage, with officials only hoping that the episode comes under the scanner of the audit party to shed light on the officials responsible for making the payment without obtaining a performance guarantee and accepting a cheque as a security.
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