The Hindu Business Line : Dredging body seeks common pre-qualification norms

SUGGESTING the Government to frame policy guidelines for dredging activities, the Indian Dredger Owners Association has insisted that common pre-qualification norms be adopted and prescribed in all tenders of ports.

The Association Joint Secretary, Mr Rehman Patel, said proper pre-qualification norms till now have been deliberately presented favouring foreign companies to the specific exclusion of Indian dredging companies, since tenders are now revised so as to be based on achieving particular dimension.

He pointed out that normally qualifying criteria so far stipulated in tenders have no relation to the aim of the tender namely to create a channel of particular length, width and depth.

The qualification so far adopted did not insist on guaranteeing the client the creation and maintenance of the channel of particular specification and further not even on dredging of such channels or projects at minimum cost, he said.

The Association demanded that thosewho have successful track record and having recently executed similar works, should definitely be allowed to participate. Emphasising that a national policy on dredging is the need of the hour, Mr Patel pointed out that foreign cartels and consortia of dredging companies is cornering the bulk portion of dredging operations in the country since independence. These foreign firms had also deliberately underplayed the importance of this sector and they retained their hold in dredging operations thereby maintaining their monopoly in the sector.

At present, every port is left to itself as far as dredging both capital and maintenance is concerned. The port follows tender qualifications criteria following general guidelines based on financial turnover in Indian rupees during last five years, experience in relation to value of dredging work executed and type of dredger to be deployed.