Srinagar, Mar 24: Purchase committee of the Health Department has approved a Jammu-based pharma company for procurement of costly equipment allegedly in violation of tender norms.
Vide approval no. GMC/J/PC/RC/Mach and Equipment/2011/6622-33 dated 22.1.2011, the provincial Purchase Committee II at the Government Medical College Jammu has approved the company for purchase of Infant Warmers worth lakhs of rupees.
But, according to sources in the H&ME Department, the company doesn’t fulfill the tender requirements, particularly with regard to the annual turnover.
According to the tender document, a copy of which is with Greater Kashmir, one of the tender clauses in eligibility criteria in respect of Machinery and Equipment is a minimum annual turnover of Rs 15 crores of the Principal/Original manufacturers.
In this case, the sources said, the original manufacturer is a Delhi-based company whose turnover, as per the documents, is less than Rs 2 crores annually.
Sources said a representation in this regard has been forwarded to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and also the Ministers for Health and Medical Education.
The representation, also forwarded to the Chairman of the Provincial Purchase Committee II, has sought review of the entire approval process to ensure that things are done as per the norms.
“The state government wants this year to be corruption-free. It would be a good beginning if this approval process is reviewed and also probed,” the representation reads.
Sources said the state government is yet to act on the complaint.
In yet another case, the Directorate of Health Jammu has placed orders for purchase of Single Puncture Laparoscope to a blacklisted pharma company. The company, according to documents, has been blacklisted by Director Health Services (Family Welfare), Punjab and also by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The company has also been banned for five years to participate in any tender process.
Sources said the Chief Minister must inquire as to how these orders were placed and also check the authenticity of documents submitted by the companies under question. “It is unfortunate that things with regard to healthcare are being taken so for granted. There are full-fledged tender rules which are required to be followed. If anyone has submitted false documents, the company should naturally have been ignored. But here the reverse is happening which is quite unfortunate,” they said.
The Purchase Committee chairman was not available for comments. The Minister for Health, Shamlal Sharma and Minister for Medical Education, RS Chib, didn’t respond to repeated calls from Greater Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST