Tender fixing allegation against IAS officer!

Bhubaneswar: Levelling tender fixing allegations against the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Housing & Urban Development department, G. Mathivathanan, members of Kalinga Sena today demanded strict action against the Odisha-cadre Tamil IAS officer.

The outfit lodged a written complaint at the Capital Police Station against four persons including Mathivathanan alleging rigging of tender invited by the Public Works department.

The complaint stated that the tender for a drinking water project in Berhampur was awarded to Tamil Nadu-based L&T Construction despite participation from seven other bidders in the tender process. All existing rules were violated while the State government awarded the tender to L&T Construction, the complaint read.

“We have lodged an FIR at the police station. For the Rs 500-crore Berhampur drinking water project, eight bidders had participated, but undue favour was shown to L&T and the tender was awarded. The move was taken despite opposition from Public Works department and the Finance department which pointed out that L&T company violated the OPWD Act. Now question arises how the State government suppressed such a huge irregularity,” said Hemant Rath, President of Kalinga Sena.

He has sought action against the chief engineer of the Health department, executive engineer and the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the H&UD department and L&T Construction.