I was perturbed when I read about Electricity Departments going to supply 2
CFls free of cost to economically backward consumers for which the
government reportedly sanctioned 40,000 CFL bulbs be purchased. As was done
for CFL street lights, the same reason of saving consumption is given . About
blunder (NT 4 Mar) floating of tenders 20 times higher than actual
requirements did not surprise me for the following reasons:
1. In July 2008, the Electricity Dept were to replace all street lights with
CFL lamps, and 90% of those were supplied defective or failed soon after
installation. Matter was reported in the newspapers and even came up in the
Assembly!
2.. Investigating , and also talking to electrical staff, I was surprised to
find the CFL supplied were possibly Chinese make (no manufacturer listed
but guaranteed for 8000 hours) and that electrical stores supplied in general
are many times sub-standard.
3. I therefore decided to find out more under RTI application. This information
supplied is what public must know. I received two separate replies to my
queries ( Total 8 pages for which I was surprisingly charged Rs 16/-), some
queries answered by office of CEE Panaji, and others from Executive
Engineer-II(S&W) , Margao sumarised below very briefly:
a) Responsibility is not taken by one authority.b) There is no quality
control wing in the department! c) On how CFLs of foreign make with absolutely
no mandatory information on quality of goods supplied like place/details of
manufacturer or MRP were accepted, reply was "because they confirmed to tender
specifications".d)" There is no methodology to ascertain life of CFLs".
e)"Routine test certificates are obtained from suppliers, visual inspection by
Engineer in charge depending on availability of testing facilities." f) "Total
amount paid to suppliers of these CFLs Rs51,54,056/- " g). "No enquiry held
because guarantee period is one year, so no loss to exchequer due failure of
CFLs!"
4. I have written officially to the CEE on 9th October 2008 as a
State Consumer Protection Council member, cc to The Member Secretary stating
inter alia a) It appears proper checking/ testing was by-pased b) Vital
specifications in tenders were not specified. Stastics of failure rate from all
Goa may please be called for and recorded) Tender amount was far in excess of
2Lakhs, which requires government approval. Which committee/who sanctioned this
purchase? d) When reputed Indian manufacturers are in the market, why unknown
imported products are supplied by Indian contractors.e) Request investigation
and positive action instead of lame excuses, cover up, lethargy and corruption
which hampers our progress and growth. The Consumer is at the receiving end,
the electrical ground staff has to bear the brunt, and loss to exchequer goes
on without accountability. Inspite of reminders sent by Directorate of Civil
Supplies and Consumer Affairs, to date I
have received no reply!
This is no laughing matter, specially when authorities are a law unto
themselves. If the State can nullify a High Court and Supreme Court decision by
an Ordinance in March 09 which also tries legislate to keep it out of any
judicial review, and specifically amending the 1894 Land Survey Act
retrospectively wef 15/10/64 to help a private favoured party,its an Amazing
Disgrace! Specially also trying to turn Goa into a Mumbai and Macao combined
type city where all sorts of deadly crime can easily flourish . Besides
rhetoric, the opposition other politicians and people are strangely muted.
Perhaps in shock and awe?
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