ITANAGAR, 4 Feb: A resident of Ngechang village in Changlang district has alleged that there were gross anomalies in the tender bidding process for MGNREGA work under the district rural development agency (DRDA).
In a written complaint submitted to the deputy commissioner, one Thanglong Tangha, of Ngechang village, claimed that the “whole tender invited by the project director (PD) DRDA, Changlang was total violation of and non-compliance to the CPWD norms.”
He further alleged that the tender bidding process was “pre-fixed between the executing agency and a few vested individuals.”
Tangha claimed that, on 27 January this year, a notice inviting tender was floated by the DRDA PD for supply and procurement of materials under MGNREGA 2021-22. “Subsequently, from 28 January, 2022 till 2 February, the opening of technical bid with EMD and financial bid was fixed on the following day of 3 February, 2022,” he said.
“There were four bidders who participated in the tender process in Khimiyang block, out of whom only a single bidder has been selected while rejecting the rest without assigning any concrete reasons for disqualifications,” Tangha said.
He added that, though the DRDA has said that some of the firms that had participated in the tender process had failed to produce the annual turnover of their firms, “the department did not mention to produce annual turnover certificate in their notified terms and condition.”
Seeking the DC’s intervention, Tangha demanded “re-tendering of the said project.”
When contacted, the DRDA PD denied the allegation and clarified that “the tender opening proceedings were carried out in the presence of bidders,” and that the tender was opened and scrutinized by a board constituted by the DC.
“The board scrutinized the tender papers/documents. They thoroughly scrutinized the tender documents and made remarks on the check list about their findings. My SAO, who is well conversant with the tender proceedings, cross-checked all the tender papers examined by the board members,” the PD said.
Terming the allegation unfounded and fabricated, the PD stated that, he being the chairperson had read out the findings and explained the grounds of rejection.
“All the bidders of the eight other blocks were fully satisfied with our proceedings, except the bidders from Khimiyang block. I didn’t do any favour or compromise with the rules,” he said.
