Jaya joins issue with Stalin on desalination project

Chennai, Jun 15 (UNI) Joining issue with Tamil Nadu Local Administration Minister M K Stalin on the desalination project, former Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa today said her government came forward to implement the scheme on its own as the Centre never bothered to sanction the funds.

In a rejoinder to Mr Stalin, who wondered why the previous government failed to implement the project after planning it in 2003, Ms Jayalalithaa, in a three-page statement here, detailed the problems faced by her government in finalising the global tender.

As there was no sign of Central funds for the desalination project, her government had decided to implement one on its own to solve the drinking water problem of the city.

Accordingly, her government floated a global tender for implementing the project under Design, Build Operate and Transfer (DBOOT) scheme, setting August 27, 2003 as the deadline. Though 26 contractors had bought applications, only two firms submitted tenders on the last day. As both failed to pay the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD), they were rejected, according to the statement.

When tenders were called again with December 18, 2003 as deadline, three firms submitted tenders, but the government opened only one as the other two failed to pay the EMD, she said.

Meanwhile, one of the two firms, whose tender was rejected had moved the Madras High court, which passed an order in favour of the government while censuring the firm.

However, the tender of the third firm was rejected as it was found unacceptable, she said. After this, tenders were called for the third time and seven tenders were received on February 16, 2005, and IVRCL, which quoted the lowest rate, was selected.

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