2024-02-21 18:15:35
The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) is in the eye of the hurricane due to the paralysis in the program to supply drinking water to the communities of La Guajira, which does not have access to this essential element for quality. of life of these populations, who live in one of the most remote and poorest departments in the country.
Its director, Olmedo López, is already being investigated by the Attorney General’s Office. Furthermore, a political control debate is being prepared once morest him in the House of Representatives due to alleged irregularities in the purchase of tank trucks to supply water in La Guajira.
What’s more, the Unit assures that, before this scandal, there were already 184 vehicles ready for this purpose. But the problem does not lie in the previous automobile contracts, but in the one that was recently signed for the purchase and operation of those 40 automobiles that have been paralyzed so far this year.
What the authorities are investigating
These are the tank trucks acquired by the UNGRD to supply water in La Guajira. | Photo: Courtesy Ungrd
The Attorney General’s Office is investigating whether irregularities occurred in the pre-contractual and execution stages. Specifically, this office is looking to see if improper processes were carried out in relation to the contracting modality that was applied by the UNGRD.
What’s more, the office headed by Margarita Cabello is also looking to see if a possible direction was given during the selection process of the contractor, a supplier that is pointed out as having a possible lack of capacity and suitability to supply the vehicles, which would have triggered a possible detriment. patrimonial.
The control body also announced that it will carry out “a disciplinary inspection at the UNGRD facilities, in order to collect documentation related to the pre-contractual, contractual and execution stages, as well as supervision reports.”
What the UNGRD maintains, in the words of the deputy director for Disaster Management of the UNGRD, Sneyder Pinilla Álvarez, is that “the contracting processes for the tank trucks have been carried out in a transparent manner and in accordance with law 1523 of 2012, which allows serve vulnerable populations in a timely manner. It is important for us that citizens can know how public resources are used, what the process is and how with tank trucks we are responding to emergencies due to lack of drinking water and promoting the popular and local economy of the territories.”
The underlying problem is that the trucks were purchased and the water did not begin to be distributed on time. On the contrary, the Unit pointed out that the distribution of this water resource would be the responsibility of the Mayor’s Office of Urubia or would even have the support of the Armed Forces, but that step was not carried out and the vehicles were left parked.
The tank cars of controversy
The director of the UNGRD, Olmedo de Jesús López Martínez, has been questioned for hiring people recommended by other officials or politicians.
The issue is that the contracting for the acquisition of tank trucks was carried out under the special regime modality, one of the points that has been questioned in the midst of this scandal of possible corruption in the entity.
This is an agreement for $46,800,000,000 to supply 40 FAT CF410 type tank cars, of Dutch origin. These vehicles have a 300 kW / 408 HP PACCAR MX-11 engine and an MX engine brake to transport the water supply.
The information provided by the Unit details that the water tanks of these vehicles are made of stainless steel. Their dimensions, 5,000 millimeters long, 2,500 millimeters wide and 1,800 millimeters high, give them the capacity to store 16,000 liters of water.
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