NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Coming out with information that the state government is keenly watching the action to be taken by the central government against those officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), who have allegedly received kickbacks from the employees and agents of CDM Smith, a Boston-based engineering firm, Minister for Public Works Department Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar on Saturday said that the action of the Goa government against the local NHAI officials, who are charged with receiving a bribe of $25,000, would be based on the action of the central government.
“As we have seen, the quantum of allegations on the local officials of NHAI is much lesser as compared to that on the national level,” he added.
Speaking further, Dhavalikar said that as per his knowledge, the state government has not only forfeited an amount of around Rs 13 to Rs 15 lakh from the security deposit of the particular US-based company, amounting around Rs 60 lakh, for carelessness in the work, but also held back the company’s running account bill.
“At present we have adopted wait and watch strategy as regards the action of the central government on this issue,” he concluded.
The bribes have been allegedly paid to NHAI officials in India, in exchange for projects such as highway construction supervision and design contracts, as well as a water project contract. The local officials of NHAI were allegedly paid the kickbacks in relation to a water project contract.