E-Paper
LMC negotiates lime price at ₹319 qtl, buys it at ₹600 qtl
An inquiry has been ordered into the suspicious deal made by the health department of Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC)
The health department of Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has come under the scanner for allegedly purchasing lime (choona) at ₹600 per quintal, instead of the ₹319 per quintal negotiated by LMC officials from vendors.
An inquiry has been ordered into the suspicious deal by additional municipal commissioner Abhay Pandey.
LMC health department officials had made a purchase of 1,000 quintals of lime at higher rates and were preparing for further purchases, but the matter came to the notice of Pandey, who raised objections.
According to Pandey, “Lime, which was to be purchased at ₹319 per quintal was bought at ₹600 per quintal.”
He said a letter to buy more lime at higher rates was prepared in January and its proposal was sent to him on January 25 for approval. “When the file reached me, the irregularity came to light,” he said.
According to Pandey, earlier a proposal was made for purchase of lime at ₹371 per quintal on behalf of M/s Milan Lime Store. But LMC officials negotiated the rates to ₹319 per quintal. However, the supply order was given to M/s Paradise Services and 1,000 quintals of lime was purchased at the rate of ₹600 per quintal by the health department. All this was done without the approval of higher authorities.
Moreover M/s Paradise Services was disqualified from bidding in the initial round itself, Pandey said and added that he has ordered a probe into the matter and directed the nagar swasthya adhikari to act against the people responsible for the alleged irregularity.
Meanwhile, nagar swasthya adhikari Dr SK Rawat has sought clarification from LMC store clerk Satyavrat Yadav, whose name has allegedly figured in several other irregularities in the past.
Leader of opposition in LMC House Sayyed Yawar Hussain has demanded a thorough probe into the matter. He said, “Not only this issue, but purchase of disinfectants and sanitizers during the Covid pandemic must be probed. Proper process for the purchases were not followed.”
