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Contractors’ ring to be probed
District Collector M Janaki ordered a probe against contractors, who reportedly formed a syndicate and quoted Rs 160 to 200 per cubic metre of sand for more than 15 reaches. Officials grew suspicious when they realised price quoted for sand reaches was very less. There are 25 sand reaches in Nellore Rural, Kovur, Atmakur, Kota, Naidupet, Sullurpet, Indukurpet, Vidavalur, Buchi mandals.
- Contractors form a syndicate and quote Rs 160-200 per cubic metre of sand for more than 15 reaches
Nellore: District Collector M Janaki ordered a probe against contractors, who reportedly formed a syndicate and quoted Rs 160 to 200 per cubic metre of sand for more than 15 reaches. Officials grew suspicious when they realised price quoted for sand reaches was very less. There are 25 sand reaches in Nellore Rural, Kovur, Atmakur, Kota, Naidupet, Sullurpet, Indukurpet, Vidavalur, Buchi, Anantasagaram, Chejarla and Podalakur mandals.
Among them, five are located in Nellore rural mandal and three each in Sangam and Indukurpet mandals. But only nine reaches have Environment Clearance (EC). It may be recalled that the e-tender-cum-e-auction process was carried out on February 23 and officials found contractors quoted only Rs 160-200 per cubic metre of sand for more than 15 reaches.
The district administration planned auctioning of sand reaches through e-tender process to an extent of 13.50 lakh cubic metres in all the reaches on February 16. But auctioning was postponed owing to irregularities in other districts. Again, the process was postponed to February 23 as agencies formed syndicate and submitted their tenders with lesser price.
The Collector ordered for a probe on Thursday into syndication of agencies and submitting tenders to sand reaches for lesser price. “We have found that price quoted in each auction was similar for all the 15 reaches which created suspicion and the Collector ordered for an inquiry.
The government will take a decision on the issue later,” said T Rajasekhar, Assistant Director, Mines and Geology department. In fact, the State government conducted tenders in e-system where quotes are normally secret and cannot be similar. But the contractors, reportedly submitted their bids after conniving with each other. This was disclosed by YSRCP MLA K Sridhar Reddy on the day of auction on Tuesday.
