Book blow

Cuttack, March 24: Controversy over finalisation of tenders for paper supply has triggered uncertainty over textbook distribution by the government for primary, upper primary and high school students for the next academic session.

Nearly 35 lakh students are enrolled in the state between classes III and VII.

Procurement of paper for printing textbooks has been delayed as a legal dispute over the tender selection has dragged on for over a month now. A senior official of the school and mass education department said: “Procurement of paper has not been possible due to a stay order by Orissa High Court. Consequently, printing of textbooks is already behind schedule.”

The high court had issued an interim stay order on March 3 on a petition challenging the book processing & marketing director’s decision finalising the tender in favour of Chandigarh-based Rupana Paper Mills. Chennai-based Balaji Paper Mills, which had participated in the tender bidding, had filed the petition. It was one of the five companies that had participated in the tender process.

The tender notification was issued on October 28 last year. The tenders were opened on November 12 and the decision was taken “on the basis of quality of paper samples submitted by the applicants”, sources said.

Balaji Paper Mills, however, had alleged that its bid was rejected even as it had quoted the lowest price.

The state government, worried over imminent delay in supply of textbooks, had filed a petition seeking vacating of the stay order.

The case came up for hearing yesterday. School and mass education department counsel Bibhu Prasad Tripathy told the court that the tender was finalised after quality of samples of paper submitted by the applicants was assessed by taking help of Saharanpur-based Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute. A division bench of the court reserved its judgment.