Parrikar raises stink over garbage, toilet audits

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Monday that garbage management is one of the major scams in India but is still not being probed by the government auditors because of the obvious issue of stench and discomfort.

"Garbage is one of the major scam areas but no one wants to probe garbage. The Auditor General does not probe it," Parrikar said, after inaugurating a state-of-the-art garbage treatment plant at Saligao plateau, located a short distance from Panaji.

"Treating garbage is one of the biggest businesses in Goa and India. Vested interests are involved. The Comptroller and Auditor (General) probes everything, but I have never seen an auditor investigate garbage, because who wants to go in close proximity of filth and investigate it?" Parrikar said, adding that the same vested interests were trying to scuttle Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Mission.

Parrikar, a former chief minister of Goa, also suggested that construction of toilets, funded by the government treasury was a waste of state resources because a majority of the toilets built are not used after a "two to three years".

This too, Parrikar said, was not being probed by government auditor because of the obvious discomfort involved in inspecting toilets.

"How many toilets were built and how many are being used, have you seen a report on this by the Comptroller and Auditor General? Ninety percent toilets go into disuse after two or three years. Some people use it (toilets) to store wood," Parrikar said.

"Go and see, the toilets are pathetic but auditors do not check. Who will want go to check toilets while holding their noses? No one goes," Parrikar said.

--IANS

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