Panaji, Sep 18 (IANS): Subsequent to BJP MLAs and ministers collected garbage from beaches of coastal state on Saturday, Congress raised question on beach cleaning contract, terming it as scam.

"BJP leaders collected huge garbage from various beaches to mark 'Clean Coast, Safe Sea' drive across Goa. This proves that the beach cleaning contractor appointed by the government is doing nothing," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar said.

Patkar said that Goa Lokayukta had ordered an inquiry into the beach cleaning scam carried out by the two companies. "Similar irregularities were observed in the subsequent contract. Today, the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte have experienced themselves that the present contractor is not doing any work and hence the garbage is piled up on various beaches in Goa," Amit Patkar said.

"I urge the new BJP MLAs Digambar Kamat and Aleixo Sequeira to demand with the chief minister to scrap the beach cleaning contract and save almost Rs 60 crore of the state," Patkar said.

Kamat and Sequeira have switched to BJP recently.

"I appeal to the chief minister to organise beach cleaning drives every week and engage local panchayats in it. They will do the work with cost effectiveness and our beaches will also remain clean," Patkar said, adding earlier Goan contractors were doing the work for hardly Rs 3 crore annually.