The Karachi fish harbour rehabilitation and renovation project, which was initiated in the wake of EU ban on seafood export, has failed to attract a required number of bidders for the purchase of machinery and equipment in seven categories.
Sources said the government has to accomplish the project before June 2009 to ensure the EU of its standards are strictly being followed at the harbour with a view to getting rid of the export ban.
The Sindh government has floated tenders of Rs 121.900 million for the purchase of machinery and equipment for handling fish harbour operations in this regard under the ADP 2007-08, they said.
The tenders were floated for the purchase of machinery and equipment in 12 categories in the national dailies twice and in a Dubai-based newspaper for one time to invite the interested parties in this regard, sources added.
The purchase order of approximately Rs 17 million for two categories, including 50 stainless steel hydraulic and six battery operated forklift trucks has already been issued, they said. Less number of bidders of the required number appeared for the purchase 2,000 insulated plastic containers of 100 litres capacity, eight air curtains, one crate washing machine, eight electrically operated jib cranes, six walk behind sweeper equipment for floor cleaning, two fully equipped patrol boats with double hull unsinkable and two trash-sucking machines, they said.
Whereas the scrutiny process of the bidders quotation for the purchase of 10,000 plastic fish crates, 400 plastic pallets and 27 on-board flake ice plants of 1,000-kg per day ice capacity is under way and the government will soon take a decision in this regard, they added.
The PC-I under the Scheme No 77 for rehabilitation and renovation of Karachi Fish Harbour, which the government has approved in the annual development programme (ADP) 2007-08 and is valid till 2008-09, they said.
The officials of the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) told Business Recorder that the project is facing delay for lack of a required number of bidders.
They said that as per the government's specification at least three participants are required to proceed with the complete bidding quorum, while so far, the Authority has received applications from less than three participants for the purchase of seven items. To a question, they said that the Authority has several options to accomplish the project before the stipulated time, however, it is now waiting for the government's decision. There is also an option to re-float tenders separately for each item, they pointed out.
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