SASB flouts norms
NL Correspondent
SRINAGAR: Flouting the norms, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has been issuing tenders to an “undeserving” firm for sanitation and sewage treatment during the Amarnath Yatri period for the last four years.
According to an order issued by the Industries and Commerce department which says that any industrial enterprise which is provisionally registered with the district industries centre is not entitled to participate in the tendering process by virtue of the said organization. However, the SASB has been issuing tenders to the firm which is provisionally registered with Industries and Commerce Dept that too entitled only for carrying out the activity of fabrication of M S, pipes, bends, sconce, valves, roof trusses, repairing of pumps switch gears and rewinding of motors.
Official sources said the said firm is not the card holder which is mandatory for getting the contract. Despite that the said firm has been getting the contract since 2012 while as per the provisions it would not qualify even participate in tendering process,
Further sources said the said firm has been imposed penalty for “poor performance” in sanitation and sewage treatment during the Amarnath Yatra period.
“A class card holder have been bypassed despite having well expertise but the authorities have been allotting the contract to the undeserving firm. The allotted firm is entitled to deal only with the repairing of some electrical appliances,” an official said.
The job of the allotted firm is to sanitation of toilets, baths location at various camps, operation and management of sewage treatment plant at Nunwan and Baltal camps, cleaning of camps, Baltal, Sheshnag, Chandanwari, Langar sites, cleaning of tracks from Baltal to Domel, Domel to Sangam and Kalimata Track, sanitation of toilets and baths on Pahalgam Axis, Nunwan Chandanwari, Railpathri and various other routes leading to the Amarnath Cave.
The same firm according to reports has been allotted the contract for operating sewage treatment plant at SKIMS for the last eight years despite having no expertise in the civil engineering and not even “qualifies” for the job.
However, a senior official of SASB said the allotment is being provided to any firm after going through a scrutinize process. “We properly scrutinize the documents then allot the contract through open financial bid,” the official said. “The said firm is also card holder and properly registered,” he claimed.
When asked that as per the documents the firm is only provisionally registered for repairing of electrical appliances, he replied, “Such things are not discussed on the phone. You can come to the office and we will give you all the details.”
Further he said the penalty has been imposed as the firm had not completed the works as per the contract.
