Tractor trolleys: Either a proposal, or alternative mode

A proposal for hiring 20 tractor trolleys at a cost of Rs 2 crore was mooted by the officials of the Municipal Corporation in a meeting in December. Following questions being raised over the high cost of hiring, the agenda was referred to the sanitation committee. It had also come to light that the two agencies that had filled the tenders had quoted exactly the same amount

The Municipal Corporation will work out a proposal for purchasing tractor trolleys or find an alternate mode for collection of garbage and leaves. This was decided after a heated discussion took place and allegations of cartelisation were leveled recently in a meeting of the General House of the Municipal Corporation.

A proposal for hiring 20 tractor trolleys at a cost of Rs 2 crore was mooted by the officials in a meeting in December. Following questions being raised over the high cost of hiring, the agenda was referred to the sanitation committee. It had also come to light that the two agencies that had filled the tenders had quoted exactly the same amount. The report of the committee was presented in a recent House meeting.

One of the members of the sanitation committee, nominated councillor M P Kohli, who was among those who negotiated with the two companies to reduce the price, made allegations of cartelisation. Kohli said that the two agencies insisted that they should both be allotted the contract. "I tried to break the cartel by asking the companies to lower the rates. However, they insisted on quoting the same rate and asking for the tender to be allotted to both. Such kind of monopoly should be checked," said Kohli during the meeting.

Another councillor Malkit Singh had stated that instead of hiring tractor trolleys at such a high cost, these could be purchased at a cost of Rs 1 lakh each. He stated that apart from less money being spent, the MC would also own the property.

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