The Nagaland Transparency Public Rights Advocacy & Direct Action Organisation (NTPRADAO) has served a 15-day ultimatum to the Food & Civil Supplies (F&CS) Department to declare the outcome of the Priority House Hold (PHH) transportation tender floated on March 7, 2024.
Upon expiry of the 15-day period with effect from November 26, the organisation declared that it would immediately go for public gherao and totally block the F&CS headquarters in Dimapur until the issue was addressed and the latest update on the status of tender provided.
Considering the upcoming Hornbill Festival from December 1 to 10 during which there was an expected inflow of lakhs of visitors both from mainland India and abroad, the organisation however assured that it would embark on its stated action only after the festival got over.
Based on urgent public interest and being approached multiple times by aggrieved bidders, the NTPRADAO appealed the F&CS Department to urgently process the official papers for declaring the PHH tender floated on March 7, 2024.
Noting that it had been around eight months since the tender for PHH transportation for the financial year 2024-25 was issued, the organisation said non-declaration of the tender had created an environment of uncertainty among all the 109 bidders.
It claimed that some bidders had even borrowed money on interest to participate in the Rs 10-lakh tendering process, causing much heart-burn.
NTPRADAO said it suspected a sinister design to accumulate the total tender amount in a fixed deposit by the department amounting to Rs 10.90 crore, which by now must have yielded around Rs 57,55,200 at 6.6% interest per month for eight months in fixed deposit.
The organisation mentioned that it was taking up such issues as these concerned lakhs and lakhs of public who were the ultimate beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act, 2013 for free rice, sugar, wheat, pulses, etc.
This was stated in a press release by NTPRADAO president Phemching Konyak, vice-president Y Andrew, general secretaries Chenithung Lotha, S Lawrence, TK Sumi and Arjungliba Sangtam, advisers Mhabemo Lotha, MT Naga, Meren Ao and Keduta Chakesang, and women coordinators Aren Angami, M Benny and Rhonthunglo K Lotha.