Media tender racket busted in Andamans

Port Blair, Feb 26: Two small newspapers of Andaman and Nicobarislands have unearthed a tender "racket" in which around Rs 50 crorehad been reportedly swindled, official sources said here today.

Officials sources said,'' The tender notices for multi-croreconstruction works were published in a way that the tender noticescould not see the light of the day. Only the contractor, whobenefitted, got the published copy through some corrupt officials.''''As the tender notice was not circulated among public and othercontractors, the benefitting contractor could quote any amount and earnhuge money,'' sources mentioned.

''Tenders were manipulated in the Department of InformationPublicity. No one had any clue about the modus operandi, the keyplayers and the beneficiaries,'' a local English weekly Light ofAndaman Editor Govind Raju said. Light of Andaman is one of the twonewspapers which busted the tender racket.

However, Secretariat of Andaman and Nicobar Islands sources toldUNI that the Secretary of Information Publicity has handed over theinquiry to the Anti-corruption unit.

The racket was originally busted by local councillor Sudip RaiSharma who is also the Editor of a local fortnightly "Dweep Surabhi".

Speaking to mediapersons, Mr Rai Sharma expressed shock at themagnitude of the manipulation in doctoring the tenders. ''I have foundin my investigation that all the major construction agencies like APWD,Andaman Harbour Works, Zilla Parishad and Port Blair Municipal Councilwere "neck deep in this sordid business,'' he said.

''Overall, over Rs 200 crores is involved in this racket,'' Mr Rai Sharma claimed.

''The racket was going on for quite a few years but the stakeswere small. Tsunami changed all that. After tsunami volume of workincreased and so did the amount of each tender,'' Mr Raju alleged.

After the unveiling of the tender racket, Andaman and Nicobaradministration has reviewed the whole process of publication of tenderin Andaman and Nicobar Islands, sources said. In an high level meetingthe matter was discussed and counter measures were listed.

''Various steps were taken to stop manipulation in futureincluding mandatory publication of all government tender notices in TheDaily Telegrams, an English Daily, which has largest circulation and isrun by the Government. All tender will also be published inAdministration's official website for transparency,'' sources inInformation and Publicity Department said.

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