The contractors belonging to Dehradun Contractor Welfare Committee (DCWC) threatened to gherao the Chief Minister’s residence on January 30 if the State Government fails to release their dues for the Government projects completed in 2013-14 by that time. Addressing a press conference in Dehradun on Saturday, DCWC president Govind Singh Pundir said that the dues are mainly lying with the State irrigation department. “Things are grim for us as the dues are mounting with the Government sitting on them,” he said. lakhs of contractors from across the State would participate in the proposed gherao of the CM’s residence on January 30 to press for their demands, he said.
He further said that earlier they had met the people’s representatives and the bureaucrats, urging them to clear their dues at the earliest. “But nothing has happened so far,” he said.
The union pitched for the tenders of the Government projects being given to the small contractors based in the state while the members dwelt on how the e-tendering process has left them, the small contractors from the State, in the lurch.
Anurag Gupta, a member DCWC, said that only big contractors from outside the State are being given tenders of big projects like all- weather roads and highways through e-tendering process. “The Government’s big projects are being given to the contractors sitting in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and some other States at our expense.
The system has been developed in such a way that the local and the small contractors are unable to secure tenders of such big- ticket projects. Due to poor internet connectivity in the hills, the highlanders are unable to secure the Govt tenders,” he said, adding that the system should be done away with immediately so as to enable the contractors from the State get priority in the execution of the Government projects.
Rajendra Singh Kunwar, secretary DCWC, said that they had staged a demonstration on March 4, 2017, demanding redressal of their grievances. “On August 9, 2017, a meeting of State Cabinet Minister Harak Singh Rawat, MlA Munna Singh Chauhan, secretary finance, U’khanad Amit Singh Negi and chief executive engineer, Public Works Department with the contractors welfare committee members were held during which their 10- point charter of demands was discussed threadbare.
The meeting resulted in written assurances being given by the Government for the redressal of contractors’ concerns. After receiving assurance during the meeting, DCWC called off their strike the same day. But no Govt order has been released so far,” Kunwar rued.
The demands of the contractors include tender of the Government projects upto Rs 5 crore being done through small tenders and prompt clearance of the pending dues of 2013-14.
Among the contractors who were present during the press meet were Suresh Pundir, Arun Waliya, Ajit Rawat, Kamalpanwer, Narendra Rawat, Kundan Bisht, Dharampal, Dinesh Ramola, Rajendra Mehra and Rajendra Negi.