Activists, organisations write to CM about graft in tender

Activists, organisations write to CM about graft in tender

Pune: Alleging neglect by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in taking action against erring contractors, who have been reprimanded by the National Competition Commission for colluding with each other to keep tender rates floating, civic organisations and activists have written to the newly appointed Commissioner and Chief Minister of the State demanding that these contractors be punished and put on the blacklist for future PMC projects. 

The Nagri Chetana Manch, headed by Vijay Kumbhar, had filed a complaint with the Competition Commission alleging corruption and malpractices in the process of filing tenders for the PMC contract regarding the installation of 24-hour compost making facilities across the city. In reference to that complaint, the Commission has reprimanded 6 companies and 5 persons and slapped the former with a total fine of Rs 3.57 crore and the latter with a fine of Rs 3.61 lakh. 

The names of these companies are Fortified Security Solutions, Ecoman Enviro Solutions Pvt Ltd, Lahs Green India Pvt Ltd, Sanjay Agencies, Mahalaxmi Steels and Raghunath Industries Pvt Ltd. 

The individuals found guilty by the Commission are Bipin Vijay Salunkhe, Parimal Salunkhe, Shriprasad Sharadchandra Prabhukhanolkar, Sanjay Harakchand Gugle and Vijay Raghunath Salunkhe. 

The Commission has found the above guilty in colluding in malpractices while filing tenders with the PMC. The malpractices include colluding with other tender applicants to keep rates floating, filing tenders from computer devices of one another, filing false tenders to complete the minimum number of tenders required, etc. One tender was also found to be filed from an IP address belonging to the PMC itself, which means someone filed a tender using a device within the PMC.

Vijay Kumbhar, who has followed up the matter along with Vivek Velankar of the Sajag Nagrik Manch, said that they expect the authorities to take stern action against the guilty contractors. “The Commission has found these people and companies guilty after a detailed inquiry by the Director General himself. 

“The accused have also pleaded guilty. The PMC has seen such malpractices not just in these tenders but in earlier ones too,” he said, adding, “We ask the Chief Minister to look into this matter, as this will ruin the reputation of the PMC. These contractors should be blacklisted for future projects too.”

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