“The private firm, not satisfied with its ugly facet, built hoarding structures illegally, and, neglected cleaning operation of the site, too. The private firm could not have dared to violate the terms and conditions of the agreement without conniving with some NIT officials. The officials were looking the other way for obvious reasons”
Nagpur News: Now, it is one’s beyond imagination as why a businessman always indulges in “dirty tricks” whenever he or she is entrusted with carrying out a Government or for that matter the NMC or NIT project as far as Nagpur city is concerned. The businessman, it is found consistently, always gives a good result of any project he or she is handed over by any Government agencies initially, and, after some period, defrauds. Exactly the situation was witnessed in Orange City when an agency was given the responsibility by Nagpur Improvement Trust to develop Telangkhedi promenade on build operate and transfer (BOT) basis. However, the NIT has failed to monitor the developments resulting in several irregularities there.
The private agency, Sell Ads, in accordance with the agreement with NIT, was sanctioned to construct just 20 food stalls. But the private firm has constructed over 100 stalls illegally without caring for the terms and conditions of the accord. The private firm, not satisfied with its ugly facet, constructed illegal hoarding structures, too, which was not the part of the accord with NIT. Moreover, the private firm is selectively neglecting the cleaning operation which was the part and parcel in accordance with the deal with NIT thus turning the site into a garbage dump.
This was revealed by NIT in reply to a RTI query filed by social activist and city-based NGO People Against Corruption President Sanjay Agrawal. NIT said the tender was given to advertising agency Sell Ads in February 2010. It was given permission to construct 20 food stalls.
Agrawal further elaborated that the private firm could not have dared to violate the terms and conditions of the agreement without conniving with some NIT officials. “It only leads us to believe that these officials were looking the other way for obvious reasons,” said Agrawal. Agrawal’s pointed query resulted in waking up the NIT officials and, now, they have sent a notice to Sell Ads to remove the extra construction in seven days and place everything in accordance with the agreement.
However, the Sell Ads Agency, leave alone concurring with the accord, submitted a written letter to NIT authorities. When Agrawal asked about the matter to NIT’s Executive Engineer Sonavane, the NIT official informed Agrawal that the private firm has “requested” 15 days to come clean over the illegal actions, and, he (Sonavane) has promised that he would inform the People Against Corruption President Sanjay Agrawal after inspecting the situation after 15 more days. Meanwhile, the NIT Chairman Praveen Darade has proceeded on a month’s leave and the courts, too, have gone on summer vacation. It appears, the further action process would be initiated after Darade returns and the courts, too, open after the vacation.
According to the agreement between the private firm and NIT, the company was to pay Rs.16.27 lakh in the first year, Rs 17.89 lakh in the second, Rs 19.68 lakh in third, Rs 21.65 lakh in fourth and Rs 23.82 lakh in years thereafter. “However, against the terms, the company built more than 20 stalls and rented them out. Some construction has even come up in the place earmarked for parking lots in the blueprint,” claimed Agrawal.
However, Agrawal is not satisfied and sees the red in the action of NIT officials, who according to Agrawal, were just pretending to take action. Only the time (The seven-day ultimatum given to the firm to remove extra constructions) will tell the ground reality as the contractor has the audacity of building many more stalls, said Agrawal demanding a quick action on the offender.
Besides, many more illegal eating joints have come up on Vayu Sena Nagar road and Telangkhedi Hanuman temple road which are a traffic hazard. “These joints are fast turning the place into an eyesore. Indiscriminate dumping of garbage by eateries on agriculture college land is polluting the entire area. It not only presents an ugly sight but is also a health hazard,” said social activist Prashant Pawar.
Shailen Mehta of Sell Ads merely said company had followed all terms and conditions while constructing the stalls. A senior NIT official admitted that Sell Ads had violated some conditions and a notice had been issued to it.
“The private firm could not have dared to violate the terms and conditions of the agreement without conniving with some NIT officials. The officials were looking the other way for obvious reasons”
Nagpur News: “The truth is that good ethics sometimes is good business, but sometimes it’s not. It depends on one’s goals and how one defines good business. Sometimes, good ethics can end in bankruptcy. Of course, so can bad ethics. A fairer statement is that good ethics can be a very powerful business asset and that good things tend to happen to companies and individuals that consistently do the right thing and bad things tend to happen to those that even occasionally do the wrong thing.”
Now, it is one’s beyond imagination as why a businessman always indulges in “dirty tricks” whenever he or she is entrusted with carrying out a Government or for that matter the NMC or NIT project as far as Nagpur city is concerned. The businessman, it is found consistently, always gives a good result of any project he or she is handed over by any Government agencies initially, and, after some period, defrauds. Exactly the situation was witnessed in Orange City when an agency was given the responsibility by Nagpur Improvement Trust to develop Telangkhedi promenade on build operate and transfer (BOT) basis. However, the NIT has failed to monitor the developments resulting in several irregularities there.
The private agency, in accordance with the argreement with NIT, was sanctioned to construct just 20 food stalls. But the private firm has constructed over 30 stalls. This was revealed by NIT in reply to a RTI query filed by social activist and city-based NGO People Against Corruption President Sanjay Agrawal. NIT said the tender was given to advertising agency Sell Ads in February 2010. It was given permission to construct 20 food stalls.
According to the agreement between the private firm and NIT, the company was to pay Rs.16.27 lakh in the first year, Rs 17.89 lakh in the second, Rs 19.68 lakh in third, Rs 21.65 lakh in fourth and Rs 23.82 lakh in years thereafter. “However, against the terms, the company built more than 20 stalls and rented them out. Some construction has even come up in the place earmarked for parking lots in the blueprint,” claimed Agrawal.
Agrawal further elaborated that the private firm could not have dared to violate the terms and conditions of the agreement without conniving with some NIT officials. “It only leads us to believe that these officials were looking the other way for obvious reasons,” said Agrawal. Agrawal’s pointed query resulted in waking up the NIT officials and, now, they have sent a notice Sell Ads to remove the extra construction in seven days.
However, Agrawal is not satisfied and sees the red in the action of NIT officials, who according to Agrawal, were just pretending to take action. Only the time (The seven-day ultimatum to the firm to remove extra constructions) will tell the ground reality as the contractor has the audacity of building many more stalls, said Agrawal demanding a quick action on the offender.
Besides, many more illegal eating joints have come up on Vayu Sena Nagar road and Telangkhedi Hanuman temple road which are a traffic hazard. “These joints are fast turning the place into an eyesore. Indiscriminate dumping of garbage by eateries on agriculture college land is polluting the entire area. It not only presents an ugly sight but is also a health hazard,” said social activist Prashant Pawar.
Shailen Mehta of Sell Ads merely said company had followed all terms and conditions while constructing the stalls. A senior NIT official admitted that Sell Ads had violated some conditions and a notice had been issued to it.
