Telugu Desam Party deputy floor leader Gali Muddu Krishanamma Naidu on Wednesday alleged that the State Government has deliberately stalled the introduction of Hologram to track liquor manufacturing and sales in the State.
Talking to reporters at the Telugu Desam Legislature Party office, Muddu Krishanamma Naidu said that the concept of Hologram with Track and Trace system could have prevented the formation of liquor syndicates in the State. He said the system could have helped in tracking the liquor bottle from the time of manufacturing till the last point of sale by the consumer at the Retail Liquor outlet. However, he alleged that Prohibition and Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkataramana deliberately stalled the process.
The TDP leader alleged that one company – Holostik India Pvt Ltd and retail liquor syndicate were trying to find means and ways to cancel the tender due to their vested interest. He said a total of eight bidders participated in the tender process for Hologram and three were even shortlisted by a high-level committee consisting of officials of different departments.
Muddu Krishanamma Naidu claimed that during the process of scrutinising the other bidders in fray the department has stumbled upon one of the bidders – Holistick India Pvt Ltd and OTIC, who were allegedly having direct link with liquor mafia. After subsequent meetings, the consortium was disqualified due to the conflict of interest.
He alleged that the Excise Minister then directed the Excise Department to qualify the disqualified company ignoring the conflict of interest. A furore was created in the assembly regarding the minister’s stand to support the disqualified company having direct links with the liquor mafia.
Muddu Krishanamma Naidu said that the High Court too has favoured the tender process and rejected the plea of disqualified bidders. However, he alleged that the minister was planning to cancel the HPFS tender under the influence of liquor mafia. By cancellation of this tender process, the government could not invite the tender for such requirement for another six months as per vigilance guidelines. Even if the tender is invited after six months, the selection process will take another four to six months.
The TDP leader alleged that the Excise Minister was trying to delay the introduction of Hologram by about three years so as to allow the liquor syndicates to operate without any check. He demanded that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy intervene on the issue. He said that the government should order a probe into the tender process and open the financial bid at the earliest. (INN)