The general meeting of the Nagaland Contractors’ & Suppliers’ Union (NCSU) held on Tuesday reiterated the decision taken at the earlier general meeting-cum-press conference held at Hotel Japfü, Kohima on October 5 with regard to PMGSY- III tender in Nagaland, the matter being under Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court.
In a statement, NCSU president Pele Khezhie and general secretary John Kath said that NCSU office-bearers met the authorities on various occasions, long before the tendering process. However, NCSU said they were dismayed by the adamant attitude of the state government and NPWD (R&B) in particular. The union led by vice-president also met PMGSY executive engineer on May 13, 2023 seeking status quo on tendering, but the latter did not listen to the appeal.
Thereafter, its leaders led by president met NPWD (R&B) minister urging him to consider using new technology and allot 40 projects to 40 firms, however no action had been taken. After this, the union said it wrote representation to the chief minister demanding one project for one firm, though no response had been received. The union claimed that it even wrote to the chief secretary seeking appointment for a meeting, which had not been given to date.
Meanwhile, the union said that PWD (R&B) chief engineer floated a tender on September 6, 2023 with 100% new technology and 40 projects — into 16 packages. For this, NCSU said it wrote to the chief engineer to keep in abeyance (NIT) PMGSY – III, but no action had been taken.
The chief engineer convened a pre-bidding meeting at NPWD conference hall on September 12, 2023 where NCSU representatives asked how 40 projects were clustered into 16 packages only, to which the officials.
of PMGSY replied that it was done by High Powered Committee, though it was actually done by the state-level standing committee.
On September 15, the chief engineer called union officials to his office chamber. But, when the union office-bearers reached his office by 12 noon, the chief engineer was not in the office.
The chief engineer convened a joint meeting again on September 19, which was attended by the union’s representatives who reiterated the demands for awarding 40 projects to 40 firms and 15% new technology.
However, the chief engineer replied that the committee had decided to go for 100% new technology with 40 projects into 16 packages only. Hence, the union clarified that its representatives had no other option but to walk out of the meeting for the best interest of the Nagas in general and local contractors in particular.
They then filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against unjust practice of NPWD (R&B) PMGSY Branch. Meanwhile, the general meeting resolved to take disciplinary action against its members who had participated in the tendering process. In this connection, the house passed a resolution to take immediate disciplinary action against the erring members and sought explanation from them within eight days.
RELATED POSTS
View all
