Mumbai: Strongly objecting to a tender of Rs 160 crore meant to construct a tunnel laundry to wash clothes from BMC hospitals, BJP MLA Amit Satam alleged corruption in the process. He said that a BMC official took kickback of Rs 16 crore to issue the tender and the MLA would bring the evidence before the investigation agency at the right time.
“The tender raises questions because there is mention of specific technology, technical specification or experience required to build it. The tender is no doubt issued to favour a particular contractor and hence tweaked,” Satam said.
The MLA further said that the tender is issued as per the guidelines of BMC and CVC and the company’s experience is counted. “However, the guidelines are not followed paving a way for private and foreign companies,” he said.
Making a scathing attack on the BMC officials, Satam said they too were influenced by the money and proposed to construct the machine at TB hospital. “How can you construct a laundry tunnel in TB hospital premises when you have to dry the clothes in open. Would it not get infected? We are told that the health department refused to give permission for the same reason. If the health department is not convinced to build the machine there then are you not trying to play with the other patients’ and doctors’ lives?” he asked.
Writing a letter to BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Satam asked him to cancel the tender immediately. “I wanted to draw your attention to the issue. Please cancel the tender and take strict action against the officials involved in the matter else the citizens would feel that you are protecting the corrupt officials,” Satam wrote.
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