241 tourists meet watery grave in Goa with no safeguards: CAG

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Panaji, Aug 5 (UNI) As many as 241 tourists met with watery grave at different beaches in Goa during 2001-05 with no adequate safeguards taken by the tourism department.

This was one of the highlights of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) for the year ended March 31, 2006, which was released to the media recently.

The CAG report pointed out several lapses in the functioning of the Tourism Department in Goa, which boasts of becoming the international tourist destination with 365-day activities.

The performance review of the department for the period 2001-05 regretted the death of 241 tourists due to drowning in the Arabian Sea, with no adequate safeguards undertaken at the beaches.

There were only 77 lifeguards as on July 2006 against the required 169 for positioning at the beaches along the 90.5 km coastline, the CAG report said.

''Frequent absentism of lifeguards, lack of adequate system of supervision and inadequate life saving equipment are responsible for low performance of lifeguards,'' the report pointed out.

While the total tourist arrival for the period 2001-05 exceeded the projected numbers in the Tourism Master Plan-2011, the arrival of foreign tourists fell short by 21 per cent than the projected figure.

The report further pointed out that non-fulfilment of requisite conditions by the state tourism department had deprived the state of the 11th Finance Commission's grant of Rs 3.89 crore as against the sanctioned Rs 650 crore for upgradation of roads.

The department had spent Rs 1.44 crore during 2001-05 for participating in Arab Travel Marts at Dubai since 1995, but the flow of tourists from the Gulf countries remained tardy, the report said.

The report also pointed out several lapses regarding contracts for towing away of the aground merchant vessel 'River Princes' at Candolim beach.

Accepting the offer of payment to government of Rs 85.41 lakh by M/s Crosschem International for towing away the stranded vessel, the government issued the work order in January 2005, stipulating the completion of work within 110 days.

A formal agreement was to be signed within 15 days of commencement of the work and a bank guarantee for Rs 1 crore towards security deposit was to be furnished within 21 days of the signing of the agreement.

However, as the contractor failed to furnish the bank guarantee and complete the work within the stipulated date, the contract was terminated in September 2005.

Thus, non-obtaining of bank guarantee before the start of work, due to faulty clauses in the work order and the agreement, led to termination of contract, the report said.

The tourism department also did not accept the request of Crosschem for extension of 72 days.

The termination of contract without contingency plan and adequate assessment of possible options resulted in subsequent award of contract for removal of ship at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore, the report noted.

UNI

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