The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Tirade over contract for Thotapally barrage

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 11, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Tirade over contract for Thotapally barrage

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, APRIL 10. In the first-ever open debate on irrigation project tenders, the State Government and Opposition parties locked horns over the issue of transparency in awarding contract for the Rs. 600-crore Thotapally barrage across the Nagavali in Vizianagaram district.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which spearheaded the Opposition attack, demanded a judicial enquiry into the award of the contract but the Government turned it down saying this was no forum.

It was an acrimonious debate akin to the proceedings of the Assembly between Government officials and technical experts deputed by political parties.

The TDP was represented by its MLA, S. Maruthi, who is a retired Chief Engineer of the Sriramsagar Project.

Otherwise, political leaders without a degree in civil engineering were barred from participation.

Live telecast

The three-and-a-half-hour heated discussion was held at the stately Jubilee Hall where only the media was permitted. It was telecast live by a few private TV channels.

The proceedings were keenly watched by TV viewers.

The Major Irrigation Minister, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, and two other Ministers watched the proceedings from an adjacent room.

The CPI and the CPI(M) boycotted the programme while the MIM and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) did not send their representatives.

The Government launched the weekly open discussion on 31 irrigation projects taken up by it with today's meeting.

The proceedings ended with the closing remarks of the Principal Secretary, Irrigation, C.V.S.K. Sarma, that the Government had no intention to hide files as alleged by the TDP. There was no need for the Government to organise such a forum if it wanted to do so.

It was only because the Government was courageous and wanted to ensure transparency that the discussion was launched.

The discussion was bogged down over only two questions for the best part of the session; one, that M/s. Skanska was awarded the contract for the Thotapally barrage without experience in similar work and second, the firm had an "underhand'' dealing in getting the contract after it was announced through the media that M/s. Maytas had been selected.

Mr. Maruthi and the Advisor to Government on Irrigation, P. Sitapati Rao, put forth their argument.

Mr. Rao contended that M/s. Skanska was qualified but the certification of his qualification would not be produced as the matter came under the purview of the Official Secrets Act.

The Government seemed to have been cornered when a Chief Engineer, R.B.R. Prasad, confessed to a "human error'' in opening the tenders which led to M/s. Maytas being declared selected.

The envelope offering a "good gesture'' rebate of 6 per cent in the contracted amount by M/s. Skanska was skipped by oversight in the voluminous tender bid, Mr. Prasad said.

The Major Irrigation Minister told reporters later that the debate would continue irrespective of the hurdles put up by the TDP at the session.

TDP leaders at a separate press conference claimed that they had succeeded in proving their allegations as officials failed to give convincing replies to their questions.

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