Bhawanipatna: A superintending engineer of the Bhawanipatna minor irrigation division has been suspended from his post on charge of tender fixing. The accused superintending engineer was identified as Jagannath Mallick, who is posted in the minor irrigation division office at Bhawanipatna. He has been accused of illegally conducting lottery twice for a tender floated for awarding work contract. This has sent chatters abuzz in the state. According to an official letter signed by the Additional Chief Secretary, Mallik was suspended March 13 as part of disciplinary action.
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The matter came to the fore after suspension order reached here Tuesday. The controversy surrounds the tender process for the Jamunasagar Minor Irrigation Project at Kashakendu on the outskirts of Bhawanipatna. The district’s Minor Irrigation department had floated tenders for 10 projects under bid no. 3/2024-25. Reports indicate that most bids were approximately 14.99 per cent lower than the estimated cost. After the initial lottery was conducted November 18 last year, irregularities emerged when it was found that the name of a contractor was mistakenly listed. Despite this, the process was finalised. Following complaints, a second lottery was conducted, violating standard procedures.