Palwal waste management tender faces probe amid allegations of violations

The inquiry follows allegations by Greentooth Technologies, which claimed that PMC disqualified three bidders, including itself, to favour another company, potentially burdening the state exchequer with an additional ₹13 crore over the five-year contract period.

Union minister Krishan Pal Gurjar on Monday ordered a vigilance inquiry into alleged irregularities in a solid waste management tender floated by the Palwal Municipal Council (PMC), after complaints of favouritism and procedural violations were raisedon Monday during a district/state development coordination and monitoring committee (DISHA) meeting in Palwal, said officials on Tuesday.

When asked about the matter, municipal council officials denied any wrongdoing on their part.

The inquiry follows allegations by Greentooth Technologies, which claimed that PMC disqualified three bidders, including itself, to favour another company, potentially burdening the state exchequer with an additional ₹13 crore over the five-year contract period. The estimated value of the tender is ₹28.5 crore. According to the complainant, the lowest quoted bid was around ₹23 lakh per month, raising concerns over loss of public funds.

Greentooth alleged that tender norms were violated at multiple stages, including failure to formally communicate reasons for disqualification, repeated and inconsistent technical evaluations, and selective interpretation of eligibility criteria. The firm further claimed that the technical qualification process was conducted three times resulting in the progressive disqualification of bidders quoting lower prices. It alleged that only two bidders were eventually left, both quoting prices significantly higher than the detailed notice inviting tender(DNIT)

The complainant also alleged that the process violated directions issued by the directorate of urban local bodies (DULB) in June 2025, which mandates that reasons for rejection after technical evaluation must be formally recorded and communicated to bidders through email and hard copy. “In our case, disqualifications were done without intimation, and explanations were offered only after formal complaints were raised,” alleged complainant.

The firm further questioned the role of an external chartered accountant engaged during the evaluation process, alleging that criteria unrelated to the request for proposal (RFP) were used against certain bidders. It has sought intervention by the DULB to review the tendering process and restore competitiveness and transparency.

When asked about the matter, municipal council officials denied any wrongdoing on their part.

District municipal commissioner Manisha Sharma said the matter would be examined on the basis of facts. “We will examine the complaint and conduct fair and transparent enquiry,” she said.

With the vigilance probe now ordered, municipal officials said further action will depend on the findings of the inquiry.