http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080710/haryana.htm#1
MDU finds obvious ‘alternative’ — VC’s son
Varsity flouts norms to engage his firm
Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, July 9
Beauty, they say, lies in the eye of the beholder; and so does talent. Hence, shortly after Prof Ram Phal Hooda joined as the vice-chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) here, his son Ramneek Hooda’s firm was engaged for providing architectural consultancy in various university projects worth crores.
While several old-timers at the university term this as “blatant misuse of authority” on the part of the vice-chancellor, Professor Hooda defends the move as merit-based and in accordance with rules.
Nonetheless, the modus operandi adopted in “favouring” the said firm - of which Hooda junior is the principal architect - is quite interesting.
The MDU administration floated tenders to engage a consultant for the work of auditorium building on the university premises this January. Seven firms, including Ramneek’s, applied for the job.
These included Creative Consortium, Panchkula; Office for Alternative Architecture, New Delhi; Suri and Suri, Noida; Mathur Ugam and Associates, New Delhi; Studio Plus, New Delhi; Space Ace, Delhi; and Sounddesigns, New Delhi.
However, the tenders of six firms - other than Office for Alternative Architecture - were rejected on some ground or the other. As per the tender committee, the “other” proposals were either not accompanied by earnest money; or certain firms did not quote their rates; or they lacked the “desired” experience or expertise; or their rates were “unworkable and unrealistic”.
While the lacunae found in the tenders of these firms are a matter of investigation, the possibility of university officials concerned having acted under pressure from obvious quarters can also not be ruled out.
Moreover, instead of inviting fresh tenders in the wake of the receipt of unsuitable proposals, the university authorities awarded the contract to Ramneek’s firm.
The most “substantial” argument given by the MDU administration regarding the matter is that the rates of this firm were reasonable. However, even this seems doubtful, especially in view of the “hidden costs” it charges from the university.
While the university authorities are trying to project that the selected firm would charge 1.55 per cent of the final project cost in addition to the service tax, the agreement clearly states that this rate is only for civil works.
As per the agreement signed between the MDU and the Office for Alternative Architecture on February 21, 2008, the firm will charge an additional 3 per cent of final project cost on interior works; 2.5 per cent on air-conditioning; 3 per cent on fire-fighting audio-visual addition, alteration and landscaping; and 1 per cent consultancy fee for preparing seating layout and other specifications with appropriate colour combinations and other details related to chair-fixing.
And, then came the masterstroke. The agreement has a curious clause, which states that “If considered necessary, you (the firm) may be allotted other works at the rates, terms and conditions finalised herein.”
On the basis of this clause, the MDU administration engaged Hooda junior’s firm in several other projects within a short time. These include the department of engineering and technology; a boys’ and a girls’ hostel; an examination wing; a biosciences block; some 9-J houses; a multipurpose hall at University Campus School; Students’ Activity Centre; Teachers’ Club and so on.
The total costs of these projects is approximately Rs 60 crore; of which the architectural consultant is supposed to get nearly 1.25 crore. Flouting all norms, the MDU administration did not invite tenders for these works.
Works allotted on merit: VC
MDU vice-chancellor Ram Phal Hooda has maintained that the works had been allotted to his son’s firm on merit and in the larger interest of the university. “I am not hiding anything…I personally complimented the tender committee for pointing out that Ramneek was my son,” he said on being questioned about the issue.
MDU finds obvious ‘alternative’ — VC’s son
Varsity flouts norms to engage his firm
Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service
Rohtak, July 9
Beauty, they say, lies in the eye of the beholder; and so does talent. Hence, shortly after Prof Ram Phal Hooda joined as the vice-chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) here, his son Ramneek Hooda’s firm was engaged for providing architectural consultancy in various university projects worth crores.
While several old-timers at the university term this as “blatant misuse of authority” on the part of the vice-chancellor, Professor Hooda defends the move as merit-based and in accordance with rules.
Nonetheless, the modus operandi adopted in “favouring” the said firm - of which Hooda junior is the principal architect - is quite interesting.
The MDU administration floated tenders to engage a consultant for the work of auditorium building on the university premises this January. Seven firms, including Ramneek’s, applied for the job.
These included Creative Consortium, Panchkula; Office for Alternative Architecture, New Delhi; Suri and Suri, Noida; Mathur Ugam and Associates, New Delhi; Studio Plus, New Delhi; Space Ace, Delhi; and Sounddesigns, New Delhi.
However, the tenders of six firms - other than Office for Alternative Architecture - were rejected on some ground or the other. As per the tender committee, the “other” proposals were either not accompanied by earnest money; or certain firms did not quote their rates; or they lacked the “desired” experience or expertise; or their rates were “unworkable and unrealistic”.
While the lacunae found in the tenders of these firms are a matter of investigation, the possibility of university officials concerned having acted under pressure from obvious quarters can also not be ruled out.
Moreover, instead of inviting fresh tenders in the wake of the receipt of unsuitable proposals, the university authorities awarded the contract to Ramneek’s firm.
The most “substantial” argument given by the MDU administration regarding the matter is that the rates of this firm were reasonable. However, even this seems doubtful, especially in view of the “hidden costs” it charges from the university.
While the university authorities are trying to project that the selected firm would charge 1.55 per cent of the final project cost in addition to the service tax, the agreement clearly states that this rate is only for civil works.
As per the agreement signed between the MDU and the Office for Alternative Architecture on February 21, 2008, the firm will charge an additional 3 per cent of final project cost on interior works; 2.5 per cent on air-conditioning; 3 per cent on fire-fighting audio-visual addition, alteration and landscaping; and 1 per cent consultancy fee for preparing seating layout and other specifications with appropriate colour combinations and other details related to chair-fixing.
And, then came the masterstroke. The agreement has a curious clause, which states that “If considered necessary, you (the firm) may be allotted other works at the rates, terms and conditions finalised herein.”
On the basis of this clause, the MDU administration engaged Hooda junior’s firm in several other projects within a short time. These include the department of engineering and technology; a boys’ and a girls’ hostel; an examination wing; a biosciences block; some 9-J houses; a multipurpose hall at University Campus School; Students’ Activity Centre; Teachers’ Club and so on.
The total costs of these projects is approximately Rs 60 crore; of which the architectural consultant is supposed to get nearly 1.25 crore. Flouting all norms, the MDU administration did not invite tenders for these works.
Works allotted on merit: VC
MDU vice-chancellor Ram Phal Hooda has maintained that the works had been allotted to his son’s firm on merit and in the larger interest of the university. “I am not hiding anything…I personally complimented the tender committee for pointing out that Ramneek was my son,” he said on being questioned about the issue.