960424

Anomaly in

disposing of

octroi contract

alleged

RECORDER REPORT

HYDERABAD: The Assistant Director, Local Government (ADLG) Hyderabad and Chairman, Auction Committee has secretly disposed of the Octroi contract of Deh Matkhan, Union Council Seri Taluka, Hyderabad for Rs 5 lakh only against the open offer of Rs 2.5 million.

This was stated by a large number of contractors who went to Seri Union Council to participate in the auction on Tuesday but the auction was never held.

They also distributed signed statement among the newsmen and had sent telegrams to the Commissioner Hyderabad Division and the Director, Local Government, Hyderabad, demanding the cancellation of the so-called contract.

Giving facts, they said that the auction of taxes of Seri Union Council were scheduled for April 11, 1996 but postponed to April 16 and again postponed to April 23, 1996.

They said the assistant director local government, Hyderabad, who was also the chairman of the auction committee remained absent on all the three occasions and the auctions were never held.

They alleged that on April 23 they came to know that the ADLG had awarded contract of Deh Matkhan to Diamond Company and their co-sharers for Rs 5 lakh only.

They feared that the other contracts of the said union council will also be given to favourites and the Union Council Seri will suffer tremendous losses.

"We offer Rs 2.5 million for the contract of taxes of Deh Matkhan which may kindly be accepted", the bidders said.

They appealed to the authorities to cancel the contract of Diamond Company and other co-sharers on in any other name to whom the contract was given.

They demanded that their offer of Rs 2.5 million which was five-time more may be accepted or fresh open auction should be conducted after publicising this in the press.