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Chandigarh: MC House orders probe into delay in floating tenders for sanitation contract
Chandigarh MC councillors allege there seem to be malafide intentions behind the delay, which forced the MC to go against its own decision of discontinuing the current firm’s contract
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After grilling civic body officials for the delay in floating a fresh tender for southern sectors’ sanitation contract, the municipal corporation’s general house ordered a “high-level” inquiry into the “deliberate delay”.
The House also extended the contract of Lions Services Limited till March 31, which will accrue a payment of ₹15 crore in four months. Earlier on May 31, the House has decided against renewing the firm’s tender, so as to float a fresh tender and minimise the cost burden on MC.
Passing a resolution requesting the Punjab governor and UT administrator to get an inquiry conducted over the delay, many councillors, particularly from the treasury benches, alleged there were malafide intention behind the delay. The House also demanded recovery of the loss to the MC from the officials, if found guilty.
The present manual-sweeping contracts of Sectors 31-63 ends on November 30, 2021 while the mechanical-sweeping contract expires on February 14, 2022. It will now continue till March 31 next year. It was granted to Lions in 2016.
Willful violation of MC resolution
Questioning the delay in floating the new tender, senior deputy mayor and BJP councillor Maheshinder Singh Sidhu, said, “Even after five months, the MC officials have failed to follow the House resolution. This has left the MC with no option but to go against its own resolution and extend the contract of the Lions Company.”
Alleging intentional delay to benefit the current firm, BJP councillor Shakti Prakash Devshali said, “When we talk of zero tolerance on corruption, why are officers opening doors for it? What was the malafide intention behind not respecting the sentiments of 35 councillors. Who are the mischievous officers to favour the company?”
In rare bipartisanism, opposition councillors too joined the ruling councillors in criticising the MC officials for the delay. Leader of opposition Devinder Singh Babla, “We are paying nearly ₹5 crore per month to the firm, which has been in question since the begining. Even MP Kirron Kher had questioned the huge amount being paid to them.”
When confronted, MC officials contended the tendering process would take three months, and in view of the scheduled imposition of code of conduct in November, this process couldn’t be completed.
‘Only followed superiors orders’
Scaling up the attack on MC officials, the councillors led by BJP state president and councillor Arun Sood called for the official files related to the calling of the tender.
Sood, while reading from the file, stated that the preparation of a fresh bid document was completed in July but still, the MC officials didn’t proceed with the tendering process. “Instead, unnecessary information was sought from other departments to delay the process,” said Sood.
MC medical officer of health (MOH) Dr Amrit Pal Warring faced the burnt of councillors’ anger. Standing in the well of the house, Warring, said, “It was done with the orders of superiors of that time.” But the councillors said it was his responsibility and he could not pass it on to others. He was questioned for his noting on the file seeking total road length in the city from the MC engineering department even after the final tender document was ready, which councillors alleged led to delay in calling fresh bids. In response, Warring also said he was only following the MC House directions for a comprehensive tender for the entire city. But councillors said no such resolution was passed by the house.
Box:
Kainth-Mitra face off
There was uproar in the house after Congress councillor Satish Kainth criticised MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra alleging non-delegation of powers. Kainth also alleged that files related to his works have been pending at the MC chief’s office for a long time, and her office was not giving him an appointment.
Mitra rubbished the allegations and said, an appointment was given to Kainth, but it was he who left before meeting her.
On the allegations of delay in clearing files, the commissioner submitted a timeline of the works indicating no pendency of files. As per the timeline report, rough estimate for work of green belt in Sector 56 approved on April 28, admin approval on May 19.
File on work of desilting of sewer in Sec 56 was submitted for approval of commissioner on Sep 16 and approved on September 24.
The BJP councilors lead by BJP city chief Arun Sood backed the commissioner and ridiculed Kainth’s allegations terming these as “lies”.
Meanwhile, on the complaint of Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla who named an Xen (executive engineer) Dharminder Sharma for delay in allotment of works, the commissioner ordered to chargesheet the XEN.
