Opposition demands probe into landfill tender

Irregularities in a tender for setting up two landfills created a furore in the BBMP council on Tuesday with Opposition members demanding a probe into the issue even as they protested against the piles of garbage accumulating in the city.

On July 29, DH had carried a report on Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) cancelling the tender for violating transparency rules and Solid Waste Management (SWM) rules. The tender had called for setting up landfills for mixed waste at Marenahalli and Mitiganahalli.

The council on Tuesday witnessed heated arguments with the BJP demanding an urgent solution to the garbage crisis and a probe into the cancelled tender. Opposition leader Padmanabha Reddy said officials from solid waste management should be investigated for not uploading documents for the Rs 184-crore tender on the e-procurement portal.

“Officials notified the tender in newspapers but did not upload documents on the e-portal to ensure that no contractor participated in the bidding,” he said.

Officials then approached the government claiming that no bidder expressed interest and the project should be handed over to Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Ltd (KRIDL). This is an absolute violation of rules and needs to be investigated,” he said.

Sources in the government had earlier told DH that officials were trying to award the tender to the relative of a former mayor through KRIDL.

Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath said land was available for setting up a landfill at Mavallipura in his constituency. “We are ready to develop it but the BBMP should allocate enough funds. The city is facing problems in waste segregation and disposal. Though the government sanctioned funds for establishing two landfills, no proper measures were taken. Action should be taken against officials who did not upload it on the e-portal,” he demanded.

BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad clarified that the tender was aimed at addressing the garbage problems. “We had decided to establish a landfill in Mitiganahalli. Since the project was not approved by the government, we cancelled the tenders. We have floated a (new) tender for Mitiganahalli at a cost of Rs 64 crore. During the pre-bid meeting, four firms showed interest. Since we have very limited time, we have requested them to submit the bids before August 7,” he said.

Meanwhile, corporators complained that waste was piling up on streets as the Bellahalli landfill is full. Commissioner Prasad said the waste will be disposed of in Mitiganahalli soon.