CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has given an undertaking before the Punjab and Haryana high court that it would take action on the complaints regarding alleged bungling and profiteering being undertaken by persons involved in the purchase of Covid-19 care kits in the state for the Covid-19 infected persons.
The allegations claimed that irregularities in such kits and equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in huge loss to the public exchequer and defrauded helpless persons in Punjab.
“Additional advocate general appearing for the respondent-state of Punjab submits that the issues raised in the petition would be treated as a representation and thereafter the matter would be looked into and a decision in that regard would be taken by the authorities expeditiously in accordance with the law.
In view of the aforesaid statement, the petition stands disposed of,” observed the high court while disposing of the matter.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli passed these orders while hearing public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Gaurav Bamba, an activist and lawyer from Amritsar.
The petitioner informed the HC that Covid-19 care kits ordered by the Punjab government contained a thermometer, steamer, oximeter, sanitizer, medicines, and face masks etc and these were to be provided to residents diagnosed with Covid-19.
The health teams would visit the infected persons and hand over such kits.
A tender was floated in February 2021 for the supply of the Covid-19 care kits inviting bids from eligible parties.
To the knowledge of the petitioner and the documents revealed that a total of nine vendors gave bids for the supply of the said kit wherein the lowest paid was given by M/s Sangam Medical Store for around Rs 838 only and it emerged as the lowest bidder.
The state had purchased 16,668 Covid-19 care kits at the rate of Rs 940.80, thus causing a straightway loss of more than Rs 17 lakh, the petitioner said.
There can be no plausible reasoning for having brought the said kits at a higher price from the same vendor who was ready to supply it at a cheaper price except for the extraneous reasons which the state is bound to explain, the petition said.
According to the petitioner, the state could place more orders for the same kits for another 180 days wherein the vendor shall be bound to supply at the same price for any future requirements.
The high court was also informed that the state had sought more kits from the same vendor at the same price.
“If the scam is not caught in its first instance, it only leads to further embroidering of the confidence of the wrongdoers who then look for committing a bigger crime,” argued the petition, seeking a probe into the alleged bungling.
More than min bid:“As a matter of procedure, the price bids are always opened only after the technical bids are approved, that is only after having approved the samples of the said bidders that the price bids are opened.
However, from the documents it has emerged that the tender was allotted to the lowest bidder itself but at ₹940.80, which is more than Rs 100 over and above the bid submitted by the said bidder.”