NASHIK: The dispute on a Rs. 354 crore contract about new Ghantagadis (garbage collection vans) has reached the High Court. NCP’s Gajanan Shelar, along with all the three concerned contractors, has filed a petition in the High Court in this regard. The petition will be heard today, Monday. All attention is drawn towards the hearing.
Shelar has claimed in the petition that NMC will lose Rs. 48 crore due to the fund hike in the new contract. As the existing contract for garbage collection in the city expires on December 4, the Municipal Corporation’s Solid Waste Management Department has started the tender process for the new contract.
The old contract, awarded five years ago, was worth Rs. 176 crore. A two-year extension would be granted if the contractor’s work was satisfactory, the agreement included; But after five years, the ruling BJP approved a new contract worth Rs. 354 crore.
The whole process has become controversial as the solid waste management department has taken crores of rupees for the new contract and increased the contract amount to Rs.354 crores.
Meanwhile, group leader Shelar has challenged the tender process in the high court. Claiming that the existing contractors are doing a good job, if they are given an extension as per the agreement, the municipality will save Rs. 48 crore, Shelar has claimed in this petition.
The petition, filed by Sheetal Chavan, will also be heard in the High Court. Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation has already filed a caveat in the High Court on November 12 to ensure that the tender process for Ghantagadi is not postponed.
