MCC's advt trolled on social media

Mangaluru City Corporation's (MCC) advertisement inviting tenders for installing pandals during Independence Day celebrations, at an estimated cost of Rs 4.19 lakh, ended up being a source of amusement on social media.

Though MCC was quick to issue another advertisement on Sunday, declaring that the tender was cancelled, the damage was already done.

The MCC in the advertisement, dated August 8, 2020, had invited contractors to submit tenders for setting up pandal during Independence Day celebrations planned at Nehru Maidan on August 18.

H Shashidhar Shetty of National Environment Care Federation (NECF) suppressing his laugh said the advertisement had exposed a practice institutionalised in the Corporation. He recollected how he had filed a complaint against the MCC for clearing bills of road repair works in Kodikal with Lokayukta.

"Incidentally, no work was done and yet the MCC had cleared the bills. The Corporation saved itself from an embarrassment by getting the corporator to complete road work in Kodikal," Shetty said.

Retired MCC engineer Padmanabh Ullal said many works were completed even before they are tendered.

Former president of District Small Industries' Association (DSIA), who was not amused, urged deputy commissioner to recover the cost of advertisement from the officer concerned who had misused his office.