HC debars Jharkhand CS from tendering process

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Secretary AK Basu will no longer participate in any tender processing, whatever important it may be. The Jharkhand High court has debarred him and other four senior officers from representing in any tender committee.

The court's directive followed hearing on a tender process, relating to installation of 17,000 handpumps in 2006, in which it found the role of officials including Basu, who was then Principal Secretary of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (DWSD), and other four members 'unjustifiable' and 'unreasonable'.

In an order last week, the court has said that the committee had awarded the tender to 'interested parties' instead of the one who had qualified legitimately.

It has also directed the government to take appropriate measures against the tainted officials, who had favoured private individuals while allocating the tender.

Other officials who have been debarred from any future tender process include Chief Engineer Surendra Prasad Singh, Superintending Engineer Nirmal Kumar Kedia, Special Secretary-cum-internal Financial Advisor Shashikar Samant and Regional Chief Engineer DK Bhagat of the DWSD.

Hearing an appeal petition filed by one BK Singh, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra and DK Sinha also asked the government to give an understanding in this connection by November 27, the next date of hearing of the case.

In his petition challenging the tender committee decision, Singh pointed out that the government had issued a centralised tender for installing 17,000 handpumps across the state in the ratio of 4:3:2 to the bidder, who had their own deep boring vehicles (rig machine) in Jharkhand; to those having their vehicles outside the state; and to those who did not have their own vehicle.

However, the division bench observed that the contract was awarded to contractors in violation of the tender preconditions. It said that it would not be appropriate to quash the tender, as a majority of work has been executed. However, some decision required to be taken so as to discourage illegal practice by the government officials.