SC gives free hand to Orissa to develop Tangarpada mines

New Delhi, Feb 5 (UNI) The Supreme Court has given a free hand to the state of Orissa in the allotment of contract to the bidders for development of Tangarpada chromite deposits.

The main bidders are Tata Iron and Steel Co Ltd(TISCO), Jindal Steel and Power Ltd and VISA Industries Ltd.

A Bench comprising Justices Arijit Psaayat and P Sathasivam, in their judgement pronounced yesterday, directed that the technical bids of all the three parties shall be treated as valid.

The financial bids submitted in 2002 would be revised and sumbitted within three weeks. The appropriate and authorised committee of IDCOL will consider the technical and the financial bids keeping in view the parameters of the advertisement, the NIT and the best interest of the state.

The Court ruled, ''it is needless to say that the committee examining the bids shall take note of all relevant factors. It shall be open to the state government to negotiate with the parties so that the best interest of the state, including generation of revenue and overall develoment of the state in the relevant field could be achieved.

As the matter is pending since long, it would be desirable for the state government to ensure that the technical bids and the revised finacial bids are submitted within three weeks as directed earlier, be evaluated and informed decision taken by end of June 2008. The observation and conclusion about malafide of the officials and their alleged favourtism stand quashed. The appeals are allowed to the aforeasaid extent.'' The Jindal Strip Ltd was selected for the development of the Tangarapada chromite deposits mines in the state. The government's decision was challenged in the Orissa High Court, which set aside the decision of the state government. It made the observation that the state government and its bureaucrats had indulged in favoritism and arbritariness by selecting Jindals.

The appeals were filed by the state of Orissa and Industrial Development Corporation of Orissa Ltd (IDCOL) and Jindals in the Supreme Court.

UNI AKS/SC AKJ HS 1612/KP2007