3rd tender to streamline emission test centres hits legal hurdle

The Transport Department's attempt to put an end to fraudulent practices at the emission testing centres by setting up an online system to monitor their operation seems to have hit the wall as the third tender has put the department in a legal fix.

After two tenders were cancelled over the last five years following allegations that the tender conditions were tweaked to favour one company, the third tender is now stuck with the the parent company of a firm which emerged as the lowest bidder being blacklisted in two states.

Karnataka has more than 1,100 emission testing centres, many of which have been caught for giving fake "pollution under control" certificates. In 2018, a complaint was filed by the Legislative Assembly committee seeking an end to fraudulent emission testing centres.

"Though emission testing is computerised, many emission testing centres continue to hoodwink the system. Licence of more than 50 centres were cancelled due to the irregularities," an official said.

The Transport Department has grappled with the problem of fraudulent practices at emission testing centres for more than a decade. The idea of monitoring the work of the centres through an online platform was first mooted in 2010.

The work was given to Keonics for some years. Following reports of malpractices, the Transport Department had in 2017 directed the commissioner to streamline the system.

The third tender for the networking of the emission testing centres was invited in September 2021, with officials hoping to award the tender by the beginning of the 2022.

"A firm based in Manipal has emerged as the lowest bidder. However, its parent company has been blacklisted in two states. The matter has been escalated to the Transport Department, which is writing to the Legal Department," a sources said said.

To a question, an official in the Transport Department said the tender calling authority was the commissioner. "The matter has come to the department due to a legal question. We hope to get it resolved soon," he said.