Delhi BJP chief writes to lieutenant governor, central agencies flagging ‘irregularities’ in DJB’s tendering process | India News

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdevahas written to central probe agencies and Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, seeking an investigation into alleged irregularities in the tendering process for upgrading the sewage treatment plants run by the DJB, according to a statement issued by the party on Sunday. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi said the BJP alleges a new scam everyday, but does not act against any official even though it has all the powers.
“This is nothing but a political drama,” the AAP said in a statement.
Sachdeva has accused the Delhi government of “hurriedly” awarding the upgrading and augmentation work at “escalated” costs by “flouting norms”.
“Estimates were prepared by the consultant on the basis of a single quotation, resulting in the estimates being higher than the market rate. During the process, the rates of items/works (mainly civil works) were prepared on higher sides and thereafter, works were awarded at Rs 1,938 crore — 28 per cent higher than the estimated cost of Rs 1,508 crore,” he has said.
The BJP leader has alleged a “scam” of around Rs 500 crore in the matter.
He has further alleged that there were “tweaks” in the tendering process to “favour” two bidders and the work was divided into packages to award projects without the mandatory detailed project reports.
Sachdeva has sent detailed notes on this to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the LG, seeking an investigation into the alleged irregularities, the statement said.
He has also called for cancellation of the projects awarded to the contractors and sought an enquiry against the officials and minister concerned for allegedly showing “undue haste” in awarding those.
Sachdeva has alleged that the cost of the projects was “shockingly higher” and that the Delhi government showed “extreme hurriedness” to award the projects without due diligence and cost analysis.
The AAP hit back at him, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) protects corrupt officials.
“Everyone knows that the bureaucracy in Delhi reports to the BJP-ruled Centre. They have all the powers to take any kind of disciplinary action against any official. So far, the BJP has chosen to protect all corrupt officials of the Delhi government,” the Arvind Kejriwal-led party said.
It said the Delhi government had itself asked the DJB and the finance department to identify errant officers on the basis of the complaints received so far, but no action has been taken.
“It is well known that the GNCTD Act does not give powers to the elected government to take any action. But if any kind of wrongdoing has taken place, we would urge the LG to take the strongest possible action against anyone who has worked against public interest,” the AAP said.
The ministers play no role whatsoever in the tendering process, which is entirely handled by the officials concerned, it said, adding that it is not the minister’s responsibility to look into the technicalities and rules of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) or Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), but rather the job of DJB officials to take cognisance of such standards.