The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday ordered an interim stay to the solid waste management and garbage disposal tender of Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
A Division bench comprising Chief Justice P. D. Dinakaran and Justice Mohan Shantana Gowda admitting the writ petition, filed by former Mayor P. R. Ramesh and others, ordered issue of notices to Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Urban Development and Administrator and the Chief Engineer of BBMP.
The petitioners contended that “total shift of policy, encumbering the municipal body under contractors with a lock-in period of 30 years and a financial outlay of over Rs. 1,000 crore is an intentional abuse of power” that too when the elections are to be completed at any rate before Dec 31, 2009.
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Earlier, the petitioners submitted that the solid waste management and disposal of garbage including sweeping, mechanical sweeping and door-to-door garbage collection is being done by the Corporation and the last of such tenders was called in 2005 and the work orders were issued in 2007.
Though the tender process was finalised during the term of the elected body, the ultimate work order was issued after appointment of administrator, they added.
The election to BBMP which was to be held on before November 23, 2006 had not been held for the last three years.
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It was not “permissible to take major policy decisions that too involving financial outlay of Rs. 1,000 crore and therefore it is just and necessary to pass an interim order,” they said.
They requested for quashing of the tender notification issued on September 30, 2009.