This refers to the report "Australian firm India Resources looks to exit country" (September 10). India is a difficult place to do business. We have been here for over five years having made huge investments to manufacture mining equipment in the country, but we find that government departments do not even acknowledge the letters addressed to them, leave alone reply.
We participated in a global tender floated by Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL), for which a bank guarantee of Rs 10 lakh was given. Trips were made between Australia and Hyderabad and from there to Kothagudem by road, which is 300 km from Hyderabad. The tender was recalled twice and yet we were the sole bidders. They opened our technical and commercial bid and after discussions decided to open the price bid. Seven months after opening the price bid, they decided to scrap the tender.
They re-floated a fresh tender for the same items - six driftrunner diesel mine cruisers. We participated again but they disqualified us on flimsy grounds.
We then took up the matter with SCCL's chief vigilance officer. Since there was no response, we approached the Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC). Nine months have passed and we are still awaiting a reply from the CVC.
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number
We participated in a global tender floated by Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL), for which a bank guarantee of Rs 10 lakh was given. Trips were made between Australia and Hyderabad and from there to Kothagudem by road, which is 300 km from Hyderabad. The tender was recalled twice and yet we were the sole bidders. They opened our technical and commercial bid and after discussions decided to open the price bid. Seven months after opening the price bid, they decided to scrap the tender.
They re-floated a fresh tender for the same items - six driftrunner diesel mine cruisers. We participated again but they disqualified us on flimsy grounds.
We then took up the matter with SCCL's chief vigilance officer. Since there was no response, we approached the Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC). Nine months have passed and we are still awaiting a reply from the CVC.
Amar Bhasin Vice-President, Hindustan Global Resources & India Representative, Valley Longwall International Pty Ltd Australia
Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number