Next time when storm water gushes into your house during rains and if you expect the BBMP to clear the mess, beware! It may not be the case.
Even as the Comptroller and Auditor General report indicates severe procedural lapses in Storm Water Drain projects undertaken by the BBMP and clearly states that all emergency works meant to protect the interests of the public were delayed, the officials seem to have learnt no lessons over all these years.
BBMP Chief Engineer (Storm Water Drain) H C Ananthaswamy told Express, “CAG is yet another report where they find fault and recommend actions. But there are lot of complexities in terms of resources, funds and policies which we have to deal with. If we follow rules, we cannot carry out a single task”.
The CAG which released a report on the works carried out by local bodies during 2007-12 indicated that, with respect to the SWD project of BMMP, officials had restricted competition and participation of tenders for the bid and had closed the issue of tender forms 15 days earlier to the last date.
Tenders Given to One Contractor
The report said tenders was awarded to a single tenderer who was not qualified technically for package III of Hebbal Valley as per the tender evaluation proceedings. With respect to packages II and III of Hebbal Valley and package V of Vrishabhavathi Valley, only a single tenderer participated.
It also indicated that almost all emergency works carried out by the Authority were not on time.
When asked to respond to these points made in the CAG report, Ananthaswamy said: “The Storm Water Drains are encroached in several places. It takes time to clear that mess before we undertake such projects. Hence they are bound to get delayed”.