The Comptroller General of the Republic, Felipe Córdoba, warned the director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), Eduardo José González, about the risk of loss of public resources due to delays in the Reconstruction Program from Mocoa, Putumayo.
(CAF promotes disaster prevention in Mocoa).
“To date, the risks have not been mitigated nor have the Infrastructure projects that make up this Reconstruction Program been concluded”noted with concern the head of the watchdog.
According to the Delegate Comptroller for the Infrastructure Sector, which coordinates the CGR’s permanent monitoring of said program, it asked the Comptroller General to apply the Warning Function in this case, “The great delay in projects and/or contracts is severely impacting the due mitigation of the risks that still persist in Mocoa and the adequate and timely delivery of the other social benefit projects for the community,” the control entity said in a statement.
Likewise, the Comptroller’s Office highlighted the resources involved, since the tragedy presented in Mocoa required the articulation of various sectors of the National Government and the achievement of substantial resources to be invested in the projects that are part of the Reconstruction Program.
(Minminas will collaborate with land evaluation for the POT in Mocoa).
“This is money from the General Budget of the Nation, the General Royalties System, the UNGRD budget and some credits, of which a significant majority are still pending execution,” said.
In addition, the controller stated: “Almost five years after the tragedy in Mocoa (April 2017), it is a true fact that to this date all the risks that originated it have not yet been mitigated nor have any of the infrastructure works included in the project been completed. the Specific Action Program (PAE) for the year 2017, some of which have not even started; and if effective remedial actions are not promptly implemented, it is highly probable that this reconstruction program will not be completed before February 2024, that is, almost four years later than planned”.
This is how the CGR’s warning control indicates seven facts or situations on which some intervention must take place, so that it is possible to effectively mitigate and conclude the pending infrastructure projects:
1. Mitigation works in riverbeds and streams: In the most recent permanent monitoring report, the CGR established that the works corresponding to the upper area of the Mulato and Sangoyaco rivers and the Taruca stream, known as “Robust and indispensable works”, They have not been contracted yet, because they are just in the design review process by the DNP and the effective appropriation of resources by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit and/or the Ungrd.
Corpoamazonia has recommended to the ONE GR promptly start these robust works in the upper area of the riverbeds, since it is a comprehensive risk mitigation system that must be complete for it to function properly.
“As these works have not started, in the winter seasons those that are being carried out in the middle and lower areas of these riverbeds may have serious effects and, therefore, there could be risks of affecting people and possible losses. of the public resources invested there”indicated the comptroller.
As of October 15, 2021, the physical progress of all risk mitigation works contracts did not exceed 20% of their scope, with only two contracts with physical progress greater than 70%. “And worse still, the financial execution of these contracts was mainly focused on the advances given to the contractors.”
(Death toll from avalanche in Mocoa rises to 315).
The schedule for the execution of risk mitigation works included in the 2017 PAE, scheduled the completion of these works in March 2020.
2. New urban housing plans: Within the Mocoa reconstruction program, two housing plans were established: Project Sauces l, with 300 single-family homes that have already been delivered, and Project Sauces ll, with 909 single-family homes, of which as of this date the Comptroller’s Office warned that no delivered none.
“The very low execution of the contractual object has had a negative impact on the Mocoa community and, mainly, on the beneficiaries of these homes, who have had to continue living in leased properties.”
This situation has also had a negative impact on the provision of rental subsidies by the UNGRD, “every time they have had to continue delivering them because the expected delivery dates for the homes have not been met.”
In the SAUCES II housing project, the control entity warned that there “serious breaches in the execution of the object of the work contracts, mainly in terms of schedules and work plans proposed by the work contractor.”
3. Studies, designs and construction of the new Market Square: Three years and 10 months after the signing of the framework agreement for the project, “the resources provided by the DPS ($6,000,000,000) have not yet been used for the intended purposes.”
What’s more, “The contract for studies, designs and supervision, financed with resources from the FNGRD, has not yet been completed due to deficiencies in planning and socialization; there is development of the project without licenses and environmental permits from INVIAS and a construction license, which clearly prevents the construction of the Plaza de Mercado from starting”.
In this way, there is a delay of one year and four months in the date of initial termination of the agreement and the delay in the start time of execution of the works and inspection contracts generates the risk of unforeseen increases in the costs of the contract. project, with the consequent definancing of the same and the uncertainty of its adequate and prompt execution, “all this to the detriment of the needs of the Mocoa Community”.
4. Studies, designs and construction of the Mocoa Megaschool: The construction contract had a term of 11 months, that is, it ended in the second half of 2019; however, “the three extensions granted meant that the contract delivery period was extended to 28 months.” In addition, the three suspensions and the extension of these have extended the termination of the contractual term, which was initially for October 13, 2019 and was finally established for January 30, 2022.
However, once the works covered by this first public works contract have been completed, the Megacolegio cannot be put into service, since “The appropriation of resources and the addition or contracting of some additional works that are essential for this purpose are lacking, which the UNGRD has estimated would have a value of $7,183,977,854 and whose construction period is estimated to be no less than 12 months” .
“Among these additional works is the construction of the administrative block and the kitchen and dining facilities for 344 students, as well as the complete endowment of the entire Educational Institution. The UNGRD informed the community, in October 2021, that a CDP for $7,183,977,854 had been issued for these additional works; however, the management of the CGR in the Department of Putumayo has reported that the procedures to perfect this addition have not yet been finalized”indicated the Comptroller.
5. Reconstruction of the Mocoa Aqueduct System: According to the control entity, the delays in the delivery of all the works that make up the reconstruction project of the Mocoa aqueduct system have caused a high percentage of its population to not be able to have a continuous supply of drinking water, causing thus a potential public health problem.
These works have been under construction since June 2017 and their completion was initially scheduled for June 2018.
“Given their current state, they may not be completed before June 2022, with the risks and damages that this entails for the people who live in Mocoa,” manifested.
Regarding the consultancy contract that was in charge of the Studies and Designs of this project, the Comptroller’s Office verified a late delivery of designs and other products object of the consultancy. What’s more, “The possibility of choosing another source of water collection to supply the municipal aqueduct was not studied in depth, therefore, by conserving the intake in the Mulato River, the risks of being affected by floods and avalanches persist.”
What’s more, “The consulting firm recommended carrying out some important risk protection and mitigation works in the surroundings of the intake, which were not included in the work contracts and to this date do not have appropriation of resources or executing contractor,” thereby generating additional risks and damages.
6. Construction of a new Penitentiary Center for Mocoa: On August 26, 2021, the inter-administrative agreement was signed between USPEC, INPEC, UNGRD and the municipality of Mocoa, which was necessary for the acquisition of the property for the construction of this national prison facility, ERON . On October 19, 2021, the respective start minutes were signed.
“The municipality of Mocoa is responsible for acquiring the 11-hectare property that was defined for the project, but as of this date it has not been finalized, causing the initiation of works to continue to be postponed and not complying with what was initially planned, which was The project started in November 2017 and ended in March 2020.”
In summary, “The municipality of Mocoa was left without a penitentiary center and with the evidence available to this date, it is highly probable that it will not have one before February 2024, that is, almost 4 years later than expected.”
7. Construction of the José María Hernández Hospital: The health services that were planned to be put into operation, “They are not all enabled yet, a situation that affects the attention of the population” that it was thought to attend with the execution of the object of the contract.
It has not been possible to put the center into operation due to the lack of resources, personnel, operation implementation plan, infrastructure works such as the WWTP, the PTAP, a 1500 KVA generator set and a freight elevator, among others, and, added to this, “Infrastructure works were planned without the endorsement of the Ministry of Health and were carried out without the proper modification of the construction license.”
Further, “There is no clarity or reconciliation of the divergent positions between the Management of the ESE José María Hernández Hospital and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, in relation to the modifications made to the initially approved designs for the hospital construction project (modification of the 70% of structural designs and 5% of architectural designs).
The CGR is currently carrying out two special intersectoral audit actions on the reconstruction of Mocoa, which are expected to be completed in June 2022. A third action is also planned, which could begin next July.
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