Guwahati, March 10: The Assam public works department (PWD) has blacklisted 13 and debarred 61 contractors on charges of malpractice in the past 10 years.

Replying to AIUDF legislator Aminul Islam, PWD minister Parimal Suklabaidya today said of the blacklisted contractors, three were later allowed to take part in the tendering process after they assured the government of not repeating their mistakes.

Islam sought to know the department's procedure for action against contractors for poor quality of work.

Suklabaidya said the engineer will give notice to the contractor for any defect before the end of the "defects liability period. If the contractor has not corrected the defect within the time specified in the notice, the engineer will assess the cost of having the defect corrected and the contactor will be made to pay the amount."

He said there were instances of contractors bidding with rates lower than the base price and the government had to award the contract to the lowest bidder but they could not complete the work satisfactorily. "If we don't award the work to the lowest bidder they will move court. There have been court orders to award the contract to the lowest bidder," he said.

"During technical evaluation of bidders, their financial strength, credentials, registration, VAT, and income-related documents, availability of required machineries and manpower are checked along with other parameters for the particular tender," he said. "After technical qualification, the financial bids are opened and the lowest bidder is awarded the work." The minister said the tenders are floated both online and offline.

Cattle smuggling: Assam parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary today told the Assembly that the state government is taking every step to stop cattle smuggling to Bangladesh. He said the department officers were also asked step up vigil to intercept vehicles carrying cattle for smuggling.