FAISALABAD, July 12: Despite a ban imposed by the Punjab local government and rural development department, the Tehsil Municipal Administration (City) once again called tenders on Monday for awarding the building fee collection contract.

In a fresh move, Tehsil Nazim Mumtaz Ali Cheema invited tenders by fixing a minimum proposed amount of Rs36,000,000 (Rs36 million) despite the fact that the same contract had previously been awarded for Rs87,500,000 (Rs87.5 million).

Insiders revealed that the 'drama' for re-auctioning was nothing but to provide an opportunity to acquire the contract at lower level by a particular party. Earlier, the contract had been awarded at the maximum higher level due to competition between the two influential parties, they said.

Earlier, the municipal administration had awarded the year 2004-05 contract for the collection of building and rubble (malba) fee on immovable properties for Rs87.5 million to the SY Corporation through Shabbir Hussain of Chak 203-RB against its previous year's amount of Rs31.2 million.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government had issued a circular to all the TMAs of the province, restricting them from awarding contracts of water rate, building fee, sanitation fee, licence fee and lighting rate by auction.

But the TMA refused to implement the instructions and awarded the contract for the year 2004-2005. After formal approval of the contract by the house, District Coordination Officer Tahir Hussain issued a letter to all the TMAs, reprimanding them not to award the building fee contract.

In this scenario, the contractor, who is in league with the tehsil Nazim, backed out of paying Rs10 million as first instalment to the TMA sensing that the contract would be cancelled by the Punjab government.

The contractor was aware that it would be impossible for him to collect Rs87.5 million due to which he was least bothered about the confiscation of Rs1.5 million which he had paid as advance money.

ASSUMES CHARGE: Rana Muhammad Iqbal has assumed the charge of Faisalabad Range SSP (investigation).