Date:10/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/10/stories/2007051019200300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

BBMP issues post-dated notice

Afshan Yasmeen

It could be a typing mistake says official

Notices issued without inspection: Contractors

The officials should inspect the areas along with the contractors

BANGALORE: There is more garbage in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) than merely what one sees on the streets.

The civic body on May 2 issued a show cause notice to a private garbage contractor asking why action should not be taken against him for flouting tender conditions. And pray, when did the inspection of the area take place? May 9, which was seven days in the future.

The notice, issued by the Jayanagar Medical official of Health (MOH) Siddapaji to Bhanumurthy Reddy, a contractor executing package number 18 of the BBMP's new sanitation project in Jayanagar, lists various irregularities supposed to have been found during the inspection conducted between 9.30 a.m. and 12 noon on May 9.

The 7th Main Road in Jayanagar 4th Block has not been cleaned till 11 a.m.; heaps of dry leaves accumulated on this road and 33rd `A' Cross in the same area have not been removed. These are some of the charges based on which the notice has been issued. A copy of the notice is in possession of The Hindu .

While the contractors allege that the officials are harassing them by issuing notices and slapping penalties even without inspecting their areas, the officials defended themselves. "We have instructions from the Commissioner to strictly monitor the cleaning activities. The BBMP is paying almost double the amount that was paid for cleaning the same areas in the previous contracts. It has been clearly mentioned in the tender guidelines that erring contractors will be penalised and blacklisted," a top official said. But the contractors, who were upset with the officials' attitude, said they are ready to be penalised if they had erred. "Why should we be harassed unnecessarily? As per the tender conditions, the officials should inspect the areas along with the contractors. Leave that alone, the officials are sitting in their chambers and drafting charges against us. If we oppose, they slap a penalty on us," a contractor said on condition of anonymity.

When contacted, Mr. Siddapaji said that he was not aware of the post-dated notice. "If it has been issued, it could be a typing mistake," he told The Hindu .