The recent revelations through RTI documents have unearthed a multi-crore scam within the Water Resources Department (WRD) in Goa. The scam centers around the maintenance of approximately 350 bandharas across the state, with contractors allegedly manipulating financial estimates to avoid government scrutiny and diverting public funds into personal accounts. According to sources, many work orders have been granted to a select group of contractors, many of whom are believed to be former WRD employees. Some contracts have even been awarded for works still under warranty, further inflating costs.

The discrepancies include inflated charges for materials like gates, questionable river desilting projects, and illegal activities like the sale of river pebbles. Investigations suggest that little to no work was carried out, despite payments being processed.

There are calls for a vigilance probe into the matter, with senior officials urging authorities to investigate suspicious transactions and inflated project costs. Officials from WRD have yet to respond to these claims​.