July 17: The criteria laid down by the Presidency University authorities for bidders applying to run the canteen on campus all but rule out the participation of Pramod Swain, who has been running the facility for four decades.

The advertisement inviting tenders for the canteen states that prospective bidders should have had a "turnover Rs 50 lakh in running/operation of catering service during last three financial years (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16)" put together. Audited balance sheets of 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 will have to be submitted.

The bidders also must have a trade licence from Calcutta / Bidhangagar municipal corporation along with a food licence issued by the Food and Standard Authority of India, GST registration certificate, professional tax registration certificate, provident fund registration, ESI registration and valid income tax return for assessment years 2016-17, 2015-16 and 2014-15.

Swain said he would only be able procure the food and trace licences but none of the rest of the documents. "The last date for filing the bid is August 7. The authorities know very well that I won't be able to furnish all these documents," he said.

"According to the tender ad, I need to show a total turnover of Rs 50 lakh over the past three financial years. My canteen remains open for eight months in a year and my annual turnover (given that I have a daily turnover of Rs 6,000 on a campus that remains open five days a week) stands at Rs 10,56,000," Swain said.

Swain said his sales had taken a hit ever since two other canteens came up on the campus.

Of the two new canteens, Srishty, which was set up in 2014, is within a few metres. The other, Eighty Six, opened in 2013 and is named after the address of the heritage institution - 86/1. The Van Man - a mobile canteen started by first-year student Raunak Kapoor - is also cutting into Swain's sales.

None of the new canteens is taking part in the tender though employees of both the canteens said they had the required papers.

Members of the Presidency Alumni Association insisted that "Pramod-da's canteen could not be equated with the rest.

"Have you seen Calcutta University authorities floating a tender for Rakhal-da's canteen. These are icons who need to be appreciated. We are upset with the Presidency authorities for setting conditions that are steep for Pramod Swain and will write to the authorities to relax the conditions," said Bivas Chaudhuri, the secretary of the alumni association.

Presidency registrar Debojyoti Konar said online bids have been sought through the Bengal government's e-procurement system. Everything is being done in a transparent way."