Row over projects awarded to ‘blacklisted’ firm in Garo Hills
SHILLONG, May 12: Close on the heels of the row over a ‘’blacklisted’’ company being awarded projects in Garo Hills, BJP MDC from Tura, Bernard N Marak said the party will not compromise with the construction of NH-51 and NH-62 in Garo Hills as these projects have come through the charter of demands of the peace agreement signed between the ANVC, ANVC-B, the centre and state government.
Marak had questioned the NPP-led MDA Government’s silence on ARSS Infrastructure Projects Ltd., the company in question, being awarded projects in Garo Hills, despite it being ‘blacklisted’.
He had claimed that NH-51 project work was originally awarded to one Manoranjan Company but since that company could not finish the work on time, the project was awarded to another company named Shubham, which is being run by ARSS and their entire team is from ARSS, which is ‘blacklisted’ in the state over alleged irregularities in execution of package-II of the Shillong-Dawki road project.
Referring to the state government’s clarification on the issue, he said, “We will take it up with the NHIDCL and the Centre but wait for the new government to form. At official level, we will inquire as to how this entire process is going on; how the ARSS are doing the work; and we will be asking for details from the NHIDCL”.
Maintaining that they will get to the bottom of it, the BJP MDC claimed that the work has been awarded to them in the name of some other company.
Emphasising on the seriousness of the matter, he said, “This highway — NH 51 and NH-62 — have been part of our negotiation before the signing of the agreement in 2014 by the ANVC and ANVC-B, that is why we are taking it seriously. We cannot take lightly any kind of development coming through the central government as part of the charter of demands of that agreement”.
“That is why we don’t want tainted companies working here. When we were negotiating, we were ensured that there will be no compromise with the quality of work. But we can see these vehicles marked with ‘ARSS’ functioning freely here. It is evident that this company is involved one way or the other in the construction of the road,” he added.