BSY celebrates in illegal tent

In a haste to set up the venue, BBMP violatesu00a0 tender norms while ordering for makeshift auditorium

Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa celebrated his first anniversary in office onu00a0 Sunday under an illegally-erected pandal.

Records with MiD DAY show that BBMP violated tender norms whileu00a0 awarding the contract to build the makeshift auditorium at Basavanagudi National College grounds.

The tender notification for the work was issued on May 24u00a0 and the last date for submitting the tender was May 27.u00a0 However, Vishnu Tent House, the firm that bagged the contract, started the work on the morning of May 24.

Haridas, owner of the tent house, said, "We were confident of getting the contract and did not wait for the formalities as there was no time."

The fabricated waterproof metal truss pandal with zinc sheet roofing cost Rsu00a0 45 lakh, while the contractor charged another Rs 29.20 lakh to provide the prefabricated metal plywood stage, VIP chairs and other materials.

A G Chandrashekar, executive engineer, who issued the tender notification, said, "It was an emergency case and the normal course does not apply here.

But sources in Bruhat Banagalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) said it was not an emergency case as the government had planned the programme three months ago. Cases such as clearing waterlogged areas due to rains were considered emergencies and Sunday's programme did not fall in that category.

"Moreover, in case of an emergency, work is awarded on a piece-work basis and there is no tender. Once you issue a tender notification, you have to follow the procedure," a source said.

Rules say

According to the procedure, the notification takes place after a pre-tender meeting, allowing bidders two weeks to submit the tender. After two weeks, the technical tender is opened on a notified date to asses the technical qualification of bidders, and then the financial bidding is done. Once the contractor is selected, the commissioner of the administrator finally approves the contractor.

But the procedure was apparently thrown to the winds in this case since, sources said, the contractor was close to some of the top BBMP officials.

Signs of dissidence
Notable names and faces were missing at the gala function yesterday. These included Bellary's Reddy brothers, their confidant and health minister B Sriramulu and power minister K S Eswarappa, who is at loggerheads with B S Yeddyurappa.