Shimla: Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes has denied the allegations of commissions in IPH Department as mentioned in the BJP charge-sheet. She termed the BJP Charge-sheet as hollow of lies with a motive to defame the congress. She said that the allegations leveled in the chargesheet by Prem Kumar Dhumal and his like minded coterie. She said that the BJP was deliberately involved in fabricating false cases to divert the attention of the people of the State.
Stokes clarified that as far as quality of G.I. pipes was concerned, the requirement of 7475.82 MT was received from all the zones of the department and approved by the screening committee in its meeting held on 24.6.2013 for procurement through the L-I firms short listed against tenders/rates approved during 2012 which were valid upto 30.6.2013.
Irrigation and Public Health Minister said that Orders were accordingly placed on five firms on 29.6.2013 for procurement of 7064.30 MT G.I. pipes which includes M/S Bhushan Power Steel Ltd. Chandigarh, 5187.52 MT, M/S APL Appollo Tubes Ldt. Delhi 1241.45 MT, M/S AST Pipes Pvt. Ltd. Ghaziabad 414.92 MT, M/S Vishal Pipes Ltd. Delhi 126.85 MT and M/S Tirupati Containers Pvt. Ltd. Ghaziabad 93.56 MT. All the suppliers of G.I. pipes have been received against these supply orders.
Stokes said that subsequently requirement of 15175.82 MT of G.I. pipes for 2013-14 was received from all zones of the department. On line tenders for procurement of these pipes were invited vide IPH-SP-1-GI pipe-Vol 95/2013-14, 2411-21 dated 27.7.2013 and 11 Nos. firms submitted their offers.
Minister said that Order for supply of 6367 MT were placed to four firms after approval by the screening Committee on 24.9.2013 which included M/S Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd. Chandigarh 1365.33 MT, M/S JTL Infra Ltd. Dera Basi 1283.50 MT, M/S Tirupati Containers Pvt. Ltd. Ghaziabad 3453.40 and M/S Fortune Metals Ltd. Raipur 264.72 MT.
She said that as far as quality of the G.I. Pipes was concerned firms having BIS certification were only considered for procurement of G.I. pipes and there was no grading of firms. Pre Dispatch inspection of pipes was done by DGS&D or RITES. In addition 30% of total quantity was inspected in the factory premises through authorised agencies after drawing samples as per BIS norms in the presence of officers of firms and officers from H.P. Civil Supplies Corporation.
Stokes said that M/S Bhushan Power Steel Ltd. and M/S Tirupati Containers Pvt. Ltd. Ghaziabad were common among the list of suppliers during 2012 & 2013. Orders to M/S JTL Infra Ltd. for procurement of 43.70 MT G.I. pipes were also placed during 2012.
Vidya Stokes stated that no complaints have been received regarding quality of pipes from any of the Consignees. He claimed that the allegations were not based on facts and the BJP was giving concocted statements and submitted ambiguous chargesheet to mislead the people.
