MDCs question ‘shady deal’ with contractor
SHILLONG: Majority of the MDCs of the ruling Congress-led Khasi Hills United Democratic Alliance (KHUDA) in the KHADC have demanded the Executive Committee (EC) to stall the construction of the new building of the Legislative Wing due to alleged discrepancies in the allotment of the contract for the project.
The MDCs have also demanded that the contract allotted to one DG Marbaniang for the construction of the new Legislative Wing at a cost of Rs 4.74 crore be scrapped.
The MDCs also questioned the procedure in which the project was allotted to this particular contractor.
Taking a lead, Langrin MDC Manstudy Nongrem (Congress) said that the construction work should be immediately stalled since they are not satisfied with the procedure followed by the EC in allotment of the contract.
“It is unacceptable that the work was allotted without calling for the tender,” Nongrem said during Question Hour on the second day of the KHADC Autumn Session on Wednesday.
Mawlai MDC Embhah Syiemlieh (UDP) agreed that there was ‘something fishy’ over the way the contract was allotted.
“This is not the first time that the EC has allotted the contract work in such a dubious manner. There was a serious lacuna even in the allotment of the contract work of the branch office of the KHADC at Nongpoh,” Syiemlieh said.
Nongkrem MDC Lambor Malngiang (Congress) also questioned how the work could be allotted with calling for the tender.
“The allotment of the contract should have been carried out in a transparent manner. I demand that a fresh tender be called,” Malngiang said.
Mawkhar MDC James Ban Basaiawmoit (KHNAM) said that the image of the Council has come under a cloud with this illegal manner of allotment of the contract work. “I demand that the agreement with the contractor should be immediately scrapped,” Basaiawmoit said.
In reply, Executive Member in charge Council Building, Marbok Kharpran, said that the EC had decided to allot the work to the contractor without calling for the tender as it was satisfied with the way he had constructed the auditorium of the KHADC.
“Despite the deadline to complete the auditorium in 18 months, the contractor completed the project within 16 months. It was on the basis of his past record that we have allotted the work,” Kharpran said.
Not satisfied, the MDCs continued to demand for scrapping the agreement with the contractor, forcing Chief Executive Member Pynshngain N Syiem to assure the House that the EC would have a relook on the agreement.
“We would put the project on hold after the dismantling of the old building is completed. We would review the content of agreement signed with the contractor,” Syiem assured.
He also stated that the EC was intending to implement the said project in a phase manner.
“At the moment, the Council has only Rs 1 crore at its disposal for this project. We are awaiting sanction of the remaining Rs 3.74 crore,” Syiem said.