Ghazipur slaughterhouse: Mayor says norms to apply relaxed for new tender

East Delhi Mayor Nirmal Jain on Sunday said that the norms to apply to a new tender for the Ghazipur slaughterhouse have been "significantly relaxed" for private companies. Mayor Jain on Sunday said that Allana was awarded the contract in 2009 for 10 years which ended on August 3, 2019. "A year ahead of expiry of the contract, EDMC had launched a global tender but no party showed up.

East Delhi Mayor Nirmal Jain on Sunday said that the norms to apply to a new tender for the Ghazipur slaughterhouse have been "significantly relaxed" for private companies. The last date to apply for the tender floated on July 20, is August 24, he said.

The mayor said in July, the current concessionaire was given a "two-year extension" subject to conditions. "The condition clearly states that the extension has been granted till the new tender is finalised or whichever is earlier. We have followed the procedures, and there were some circumstances, especially the (COVID-19) lockdown starting in March, due to which we had to extend the contract to Allana group," the mayor claimed.

However, opposition AAP has been against the decision to "extend contract" with this company. The BJP-ruled EDMC House recently saw an uproar with opposition AAP councillors protesting over the issue of the Ghazipur slaughterhouse.

Opposition members had trooped to the Well of the House and allegedly created ruckus over the issue and raised slogans. Mayor Jain on Sunday said that Allana was awarded the contract in 2009 for 10 years which ended on August 3, 2019.

"A year ahead of expiry of the contract, EDMC had launched a global tender but no party showed up. In June 2019, another tender was floated and no new parties responded. In August 2019, again only Allana showed up, so we extended its contract first for six months, i.e., till February 2020," Jain told PTI. The mayor said a tender was floated in December 2019 too but, "Assembly polls were due so code of conduct soon came into place".

"In February, riots took place in Northeast Delhi and then in March lockdown was imposed. So, we couldn't take the tendering process forward. However, during 'Unlock 1.0', Allana asked for a minimum two-year extension before resuming, due to losses during the lockdown," Jain said. Livelihood of several traders depends on the livestock market that runs adjoining the slaughterhouse.

"Representatives of these people had met me and sought help, they were badly hit during he lockdown. So, considering their situation too, we decided to extend the contract with conditions while floating a new tender in July," Jain said. For the new tender, the norms to apply has been "significantly relaxed" for the companies he said.

"Earlier, the balance sheet of the applying company should have shown an annual turnover of Rs 400 cr, which has now been reduced to Rs 25 cr. Also, earlier the annual profit annually should have been Rs 40 cr, which has been reduced to Rs 6 cr, in the tender criteria," Jain added. The Ghazipur slaughterhouse is the only licenced abbatoir in Delhi for butchering sheeps, goats and buffaloes.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)