The contractor, who is controversial and has already been blacklisted by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has given a green signal of eligibility by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) in the tender process for lifting the garbage in its jurisdiction. The contract is worth around Rs 500 crore.
While the then commissioner had sought written information from the BMC about the disqualification of the agency, now the deputy commissioner has again sent a letter seeking clarification, why BMC has blacklisted the Contractor. Earlier, MLA Pratap Sarnaik had a complaint about the administration to the state government and alleged that the favouritism is being played in the allotment of the contract.
The MBMC had signed a contract with the Global Waste Management Cell Pvt Ltd (GWMC) in 2012 for five years. The GWMC had to lift garbages from Mira Bhayandar and dumped it to the Uttan’s Solid Waste Management processing. During the period, MBMC had received several complaints against the contractor. The administration has taken disciplinary action against the contractor. Though the contract was allotted to the GWMC, there were sub-contractors in the field who were doing the job. However, the contract expired in April 2017. After that, the same contractor bagged the extended pact for three years.
Significantly, the tender was issued for the same job in 2018. Surprisingly, GWMC was the only company that had bid for this job.
After that, the MBMC has floated bids in two parts. One for the cleanliness of wards like sweeping the road, cleaning the gutters, collecting the garbage from complexes and segregation of dry and wet thresholds. Whereas, the other an 8-year contract to carry the collected garbage in compactor to the dump yard in Uttan.
What they say
At that time, MLA Sarnaik wrote to then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Urban Development Department alleging favouritism. He had mentioned that the corrupt administration along with leaders of the ruling party handover the contract to the GWMC. The BMC has blacklisted the firm. However, Sarnaik had appealed that the other participants should be given fair chances in the bid.
MLA Geeta Jain has also demanded the investigation in the tender scam. She said, “If MBMC had taken action against GWMC for violating the norms then this situation has not been arises. However, they had not taken action yet. Ironically, the ruling party is backing the contractor for the vested interest.”
“Two companies have bid for the tender. However, we sought clarifications from both the bidders, due to complaints received about the validity. Only after receiving a satisfactory reply and opinion on it, the selection process will take place,” said Dr Sambhaji Panpatte, Deputy Municipal Commissioner.
