Sonia package no longer a beacon of hope

bellary: the "sonia special package" did raise millions of hopes among the people here long back. but, nothing''s moving. in fact, the government has sanctioned works under the sonia special package for irrigation department to take up several canal works a year ago. not a single work has been executed so far, not even tenders have been called. the government had earmarked rs 10 crore for the special package for works like cement concrete lining to the canal bed and sides, repairs to drops and sluices coming under the no.6 canal division of main high-level canal of right bank tungabhadra reservoir. the estimated cost was rs 8 crore but the sanctioned amount was rs 50 lakh as a budgetary allocation given last year. the department has not even called tenders as the process was postponed for eight times. the first tender was called in march, 2001, to execute 40 development works sanctioned under the programme. this continued for eight times and nothing has worked out. again on friday, which was the last day for filing the tenders, the routine failed all over again due to the "irresponsible" attitude of department which closed the tender bidding time abruptly at 1 pm, three-and-a-half hour before the schedule. the contractors were not intimated about the "swift change" in the schedule. many contractors lost the opportunity to file tenders but only two of them succeeded to bid their tenders. the other contractors who could not file the tenders objected to the tenders filed and pressured the department to either postpone or reschedule the tender bidding process. executive engineer p.m. nagendrappa, however, succumbed to the pressure exerted by the contractors led by n. pratap reddy and postponed the opening of the biddings. he also ordered suitable action in this matter and steps to be taken to help more contractors participate. crippled with irregularities, the department''s failure in executing important projects is no more a secret. it was surprising to have received two tenders for the first set of works. for other two sets of works, not a single tender has been received so far. if the department drags its feet on these plans any more, monsoon will spoil all the work done by the contractors provided the work starts by that time. interestingly, one of the rules in the tender is that the contractor should complete the work allotted within 45 days before the release of water to the canal. with only a month before the monsoon sets in, it is perhaps obvious that the works will not take off the ground. that means, this year too, the works of no. 6 canal division of the right bank high-level canal will remain undone.