Corruption allegations arise in Edappally Canal desilting contract
Kochi: Opposition councillors have come up against Kochi corporation authorities, levelling corruption charges in the deal to remove hyacinth from Edappally Canal. Opposition leader Antony Kureethara said corporation authorities awarded the work to a contractor by inviting a short tender.
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Kureethara alleged that there is widespread corruption in the awarding of contracts, especially those related to desilting works. "At first, a contractor undertook the work of removing hyacinth at a cost of Rs 17 lakh. Corporation scrapped the contract citing a delay in the work. Then, they entrusted the work to another contractor without inviting tenders. Cost of the work escalated to Rs 26 lakh from Rs 17 lakh. If the corporation invited tenders, the work could have been carried out at a lower rate," Kureethara said.
As part of pre-monsoon desilting, work of removing silt from Edappally Canal was initially estimated at Rs 32 lakh. However, when tenders were invited, a contractor quoted Rs 15 lakh. The contractor's work was unsatisfactory, leading to their removal by collector's order under Disaster Management Act. "When a contractor is removed, the tender should be awarded to the next lowest bidder. The second lowest bid was recorded at Rs 17 lakh.
Without awarding the work to the second lowest bidder, corporation invited a short tender of three days and work was awarded for Rs 26 lakh. Corporation authorities could have at least given more time for bidders to attend the tender," said corporation UDF parliamentary party secretary M G Aristotle.
According to corporation authorities, the tender was awarded in a fast manner considering the onset of monsoon and urgency of work.
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