The two irrigation engineers who went to verify the experience certificates furnished by Chinese firms in connection with tenders for the Polavaram project, returned on Tuesday with “some valuable information”.
K. Srinivasulu Reddy and G. S. S. N. Murthy, superintending engineers, completed their job earlier than planned because of celebrations in China for three days from February 12 in connection with the Spring Festival. Government offices there are closed during the period.
Two Chinese firms, Sino Hydro and CGGC, had participated in the tenders to execute the head works of Polavaram project — rockfill-cum-earthen dam, spillway and foundations for the powerhouse. Each of them is a partner of a consortium headed by Madhucon Projects and Soma Enterprises respectively. The government did not consider them as Madhucon was identified as L2 (second lowest price bidders) and Soma as L4 (fourth lowest price bidder).
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The engineers, who went through some documents of Sino Hydro and CGGC in China, are expected to submit their report to M. Venkateswara Rao, engineer-in-chief, Polavaram, in three days. Mr. Rao, in turn, will submit this report to the government with his remarks, to enable it to take a view.
Another team comprising two SEs is in Russia to do the same job in respect of firms of that country, including JSC EC UES. The consortium headed by Transstroy India, of which this firm was a partner, was identified as L1 (lowest price bidder). The government, indeed, issued a letter of intent to it and was about sign an agreement to award the tender to these consortia when an allegation was made that the previous experience of certificates of JSC EC UES were “bogus”.
The government had then decided to verify the certificates of not only this company but all firms which participated in the tenders. A senior Irrigation official said a clear picture about the Polavaram tenders would emerge soon, thereby enabling the government to take a decision.
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