Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The sand tender awarded in Hirdpuri, Paithan taluka, violates norms and must be cancelled, demanded Sachin Rathod, working president of the Navnirman Banjara Kranti Sena recently. In a memorandum to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Additional Secretary of Revenue, and District Collector, he alleged irregularities in the tendering process.
The contract was granted to Active Associates at Rs 29 per ton, while a similar tender in Apegav was cancelled despite a significantly lower rate of Rs 7 per ton. Rathod questioned why the bid was not awarded to the second-lowest (L-2) bidder and why the administration did not opt for a re-tender. He accused the revenue department of taking a unilateral decision, raising suspicions about the involvement of the district administration, tender holders, and the minor minerals department. Demanding an SIT probe, Rathod called for a review of the Hirdpuri tender, warning that such inflated rates could set a precedent for future contracts, jeopardizing transparency in the process.