MARGAO
Margao Municipal Council’s sopo auction scheduled next week has kicked off a row of sorts after the civic body inserted a clause that only bidders with three years previous experience would be eligible to participate in the auction.
While the move was slammed by prospective bidders, terming it as a blatant attempt to favour parties close to the powers that be, Municipal Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai stoutly defended the decision, saying the clause was inserted to protect the interest of the council.
The controversy had an added twist when Chief Officer YB Tawde washed his hands off the row, saying the decision on the three-year clause was the brain child of the municipal chairperson.
The auction triggered a row after the civic body declined to accept applications of a couple of prospective bidders on the sole ground that they had no previous experience. The agitated bidders then called on Tawde with a plea to scrap the procedure, saying it is blatantly illegal in nature. They alleged that the clause was with the sole intention of favouring those close to the powers that be.
While Tawde gave a patient hearing to the grievances of the parties, he however, expressed his helplessness in the matter, saying the clause was inserted on the insistence of the municipal chairperson. While the bidders protested saying the clause would bar prospective bidders, Tawde told them to resolve their grievances with the chairperson.
Chairperson Prabudesai, however, defended the move. “The move is not to favour any person, but to ensure that only genuine and authentic parties participate in the auction. I do not think there’s any harm in inserting the clause since only genuine parties will participate in the auction,” Babita said.
She further pointed that the MMC had in the past lost revenue just because unscrupulous sopo contractors abandoned the contract midway. “I am confident that the move will pay rich dividends as it will keep away unscrupulous parties from participating in the auction,” Babita asserted .
