Nagpur, Feb 15 (KNN) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME), Faridabad’s Green Gold Bamboo Tech Private Limited is facing delay payment issues from the state forest department in Maharashtra, reported TOI.

Despite the central government taking several initiatives to promote bamboo the uninterested behaviour of Maharashtra’s forest department is dispiriting small entrepreneurs by failing to release dues for a long time.

Papers in possession of TOI show how Faridabad’s Green Gold Bamboo Tech Private Limited, a MSME is being forced to run pillar to post for dues towards works related to bamboo ecohuts, dining-cum-kitchen tops and the bamboo facility centre at Allapalli in Gadchiroli.

Earlier the MSME has completed in Amravati, Bhandara, and Bhamragarh divisions as it has specialization in the bamboo sector.

The firm was awarded the tender for the above six works in Allapalli in January 2017.

The project cost of all the items came to Rs 23.5 lakh, which has been paid, but the department is not releasing the balance Rs 17 lakh for the last 4 years which was spent additionally, reported TOI.

The forest department floated a tender for bamboo eco-tourism cottages, dining and facility centre in 2014-15.

Green Gold was called by the then deputy CF HK Meena and asked to submit a quotation as no party came forward to bid.

The tenders were awarded to the firm but cancelled due to the department’s mistakes. The MSME bagged the third tender in January 2017 and completed the works by 2019.

“The tender conditions had several flaws as the eco-huts had no mention about platforms, outer walls, roofs, etc for which I had to spend an additional Rs 17 lakh. I was promised payment by then DyCF but he was transferred,” said director of Green Gold Purnendu Das.

Talking about the long waiting period, he told TOI that, “It is almost 4 years and my entire payment has not been released just because the additional necessary work was not specified in the tender conditions and some minor work is yet to be finished. Even forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and PCCF’s orders are also not being followed.”

After many follow-ups, the technical sanction was granted by the PCCF’s office after 44 months on December 3, 2020.

“The forest department did not take technical sanction for so many days and still published the tender which is in complete violation of the financial rules,” pointed out Das.

On the penalty levied, Das said, “Leave aside the delay in the release of Rs 17.32 lakh, Allapalli deputy DyCF Rahul Tolia has levied a penalty of Rs 9.35 lakh at Rs 500 per day for 1,870 days and shot down our dues to Rs 65,000,” said Das.

Meanwhile, Tolia said, “The work relates to 2017. We have deducted a fine of Rs 500 per day for the delay as per the tender condition then. No estimates were prepared for the additional work which was done on oral instructions. The firm has not completed the work and the cottages are lying unused due to incomplete work.”

“The forest department has admitted in writing about additional work. The penalty levied is an afterthought with misguided intent to harass me and deny my genuine right to payment. I have worked in the remotest part of Gadchiroli with lots of difficulties. I’m ready to complete the unfinished work,” retorted Das.  (KNN Bureau)