What a Joke! Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Invites Tender for Rs 4.19 Lakh for Independence Day Event at Nehru Maidan on 15 August, with the last date to obtain tender forms is 17 August and Submission of filled forms by 18 August? I bet MCC officials don’t know the date of I-Day, this proves their knowledge? After the advertisement went viral on social media with public making mockery of MCC for their blunder, MCC issued another notification changing the date to obtain tender forms as 12 August and date of submission of forms as 13 August. This move by MCC had drawn public ire, as to why even spend Rs 4.19 lakh on the event, when the public is not allowed to participate.
Mangaluru: While the new Deputy Commissioner Dr K V Rajendra had made an announcement that the public is not allowed to be a part of Independence Day at Nehru Maidan and that the event will be live-streamed on Facebook and other social media platforms- adding further he had said, they are also planning to install LED and LCD screens across the city for the locals to watch the event. However, the DC said they have to ensure that people do not gather in large numbers in front of these big screens and it is preferred, they watch the event while on the move. There will only be flag hoisting and guard of honour, and only public representatives and government officials will be allowed and the cultural programmes will not take place, at Nehru Maidan on 15 August- then what’s the point in spending Rs 4.19 lakh on pandal, barricades etc. This is nothing but an idea to make quick bucks by the official or officials in the name of I-Day celebrations?
Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) which had released an advertisement inviting tenders for installing pandals, barricades etc at an estimated cost of Rs 4.19 lakhs, during the forthcoming Independence Day celebrations at Nehru Maidan, Mangaluru on 15 August, ended up being a joke factor on social media, since that advertisement that was posted in a Kannada daily on 8 August 2020, had invited contractors to pick up the tender forms by 17 August and submit the filled tender forms by 18 August 2020 ?? Due to this, the public showed ire, as to why such a huge amount was spent on an I-Day celebration, which is planned as a low key affair due to COVID-19 pandemic, and also pointing out the errors made in the advertisement regarding the dates, following which on Sunday, 9 August the MCC issued another notification by changing the dates to August 12 and 13.
Advertisement released in a Kannada daily on 8 August 2020
The dumb and funniest part of the advertisement was while the event is scheduled to take place on August 15, the tender notification published in newspapers on August 8, said that the last date to obtain tender forms is August 17 and the filled-in tender forms should be submitted by August 18. Meantime, the newspaper clipping of the tender with the dates underlined went viral on social media, with people slamming the civic body stating that the notification makes clear that inviting tenders is just a formality and MCC officials would entrust the work to a contractor of their choice.
In the meantime, activist and founding member of National Environment Care Federation (NECF) suppressing the laugh in his recorded WhatsApp video which also has gone viral said that that the advertisement had exposed a practice institutionalized in MCC. He termed the incident as an irony as funds are being ‘looted’ even in the name of Independence Day. In the video, he also recollects how he had filed a complaint against MCC for clearing bills of road works in Kodikal with Lokayukta. According to him, the patchwork was done secretly by the contractor after a complaint was lodged with the Lokayukta.
Advertisement of Cancellation of Tender Notice on 9 August 2020
When this incident was brought to the notice of Deputy Commissioner KV Rajendra, he termed the tender notification as ‘funny’ and an event that reflects nothing but ‘heights of foolishness’ and added that he will see that action will be taken on the concerned MCC officials, asking them why a tender was not floated at the right time and whether the mention of dates in the notification was intentional or due to oversight. Dc also said that he will assess the tender estimate but felt that even though the I-Day celebration will be simple, that does not necessarily mean the expenditure will be less. “Though it will be a low-key affair, the fervour and grandeur of the event can’t be compromised because it’s a national festival. People will not be allowed but the arrangements will almost be the same,” he added.
Also raising his voice, retired MCC Engineer and a member of MCC Civic Group Padmanabh Ullal said many works of MCC were completed even before they are tendered. Even the former President of District Small Industries Association (DSIA), upset about the post by MCC has urged the Deputy Commissioner to recover the cost of the advertisement from the concerned MCC official who had misused his office. Narayana Kulur, an active member of MCC Civic Group has also sent an email to ACB to look into the incident and take necessary action, on behalf of tax-paying citizens of Mangaluru.
