BMC proposes to extend term of 7 errant Garbage dumping contractors
BMC officials claim they are left with no other option as they have received no bidders for transportation of garbage to dumping grounds despite inviting bids twice.
Three months after filing police complaints against seven contractors for allegedly mixing debris with solid waste to increase its weight and earn higher revenue, BMC has proposed to extend their contract till June 2018 or till new contracts are in place. BMC officials claim they are left with no other option as they have received no bidders for transportation of garbage to dumping grounds despite inviting bids twice.
Last month, the BMC standing committee had rejected a proposal to award a garbage transportation contract to a firm blacklisted in the desilting scam last year. But the BMC proposes to extend its contract also.
The BMC proposal placed before the standing committee last week—a copy of which is with TOI— says nine contracts for garbage transportation were given in 2012 for a period of five years. The terms are scheduled to end between December 24-27, so tendering for new contracts began in April. After receiving no bidders, the tenders were re-invited. “This time, 14 contracts instead of nine have been invited, but some of the bidders were existing contractors. Doubts were raised about some others as they had been blacklisted in the desilting scam,” added the official.
The opposition party leader in BMC Ravi Raja said, “These are the same people who looted the civic body and therefore should have not been recommended.” Samajwadi Partyleader in BMC Rais Shaikh said that while BMC registered a police complaint it could not prove it case and has to fall back on the same contractors again.
Standing committee member Asif Zakeria said that in the last meeting the proposal was tabled at the last minute and hence was not given an approval. “Important issues should be mentioned in the agenda so that there could be discussions,” said Zakeria. Civic officials said the proposal would again be circulated before the next standing committee meeting.
Defending BMC’s stand, Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner in charge of solid waste management, said that out of the 14 contracts, 5-6 of them received successful bidders but mobilization would take time. “Therefore we have said that either for six months or till the time new contractor is in place. We have learnt that some of the bidders were the same who were blacklisted in the stormwater drain scam, so it is being inquired into,” said Singhal.
Last month, the BMC standing committee had rejected a proposal to award a garbage transportation contract to a firm blacklisted in the desilting scam last year. But the BMC proposes to extend its contract also.
The BMC proposal placed before the standing committee last week—a copy of which is with TOI— says nine contracts for garbage transportation were given in 2012 for a period of five years. The terms are scheduled to end between December 24-27, so tendering for new contracts began in April. After receiving no bidders, the tenders were re-invited. “This time, 14 contracts instead of nine have been invited, but some of the bidders were existing contractors. Doubts were raised about some others as they had been blacklisted in the desilting scam,” added the official.
The opposition party leader in BMC Ravi Raja said, “These are the same people who looted the civic body and therefore should have not been recommended.” Samajwadi Partyleader in BMC Rais Shaikh said that while BMC registered a police complaint it could not prove it case and has to fall back on the same contractors again.
Standing committee member Asif Zakeria said that in the last meeting the proposal was tabled at the last minute and hence was not given an approval. “Important issues should be mentioned in the agenda so that there could be discussions,” said Zakeria. Civic officials said the proposal would again be circulated before the next standing committee meeting.
Defending BMC’s stand, Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner in charge of solid waste management, said that out of the 14 contracts, 5-6 of them received successful bidders but mobilization would take time. “Therefore we have said that either for six months or till the time new contractor is in place. We have learnt that some of the bidders were the same who were blacklisted in the stormwater drain scam, so it is being inquired into,” said Singhal.
(Times of India)
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