Times of India: Pune: Thursday, May 25, 2017.
An RTI query
has revealed that the Pune Municipal Corporation bought five sonography
machines for its hospitals at inflated rates this year, causing a financial
loss of Rs 70 lakh to the exchequer.
Vivek
Velankar of Sajag Nagarik Manch, a citizen's forum, had sought the purchase
information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act along with other
activists.
"Civic
health officials purchased four machines manufactured by Hitachi at the rate of
Rs 23.85 lakh each this year. The same machines are available at a price of Rs
13 lakh each in the market. Besides, another machine manufactured by the same
firm was purchased at Rs 59.45 lakh against the market price of Rs 32
lakh," Velankar alleged.
He said,
"All the five machines were procured after inviting bids and have been
purchased from the same supplier. Even the PMC endorsed the supplier's quoted
rates saying that 'they (rates) are congruent with the market price'. Overall,
the health department has wasted Rs 70 lakh of tax payers' money in this
purchase."
The activists
have also alleged that the purchase of additional five machines was made when
the existing ones were lying underutilised at 15 PMC-run hospitals.
Velankar said
a complaint has been lodged with the Anti-Corruption Bureau in the purchase
issue.
When
contacted, head of PMC's health department S T Pardeshi refuted the
allegations. "The purchase was made through a tendering process, under
which the lowest bidder (supplier) was awarded the tender. Moreover, the cost
of machines also includes VAT, fitting and annual maintenances charges."