However, the first three set of purchase of PPE kits were not made through GeM. Each of these kits, containing gloves, gown, caps, goggles and masks, were purchased between April and May. (Rerpesentational)
The Chandigarh Police department purchased 850 PPE kits with 500 N-95 masks at the cost of Rs 6.70 lakh from three firms, while another set of 3,000 PPE kits were purchased at a cost of Rs 6.96 lakh from one company. The purchase were made by the Chandigarh Police between April and May.
The first 850 PPE kits were purchased in three series, including 280 kits for Rs 2,23,600, another set of 200 kits with 500 N-95 masks for Rs 2,63,900, and 370 kits at the cost of Rs 2,36,100. The kits were purchased from Medicare Distributors at Green Square Market in Hisar, Vashist Pharma in Maloya’s Sector 39 and Nirmit International at Sundar Nagar in Ludhiana, respectively.
The documents procured from the office of DSP (police lines-26) show that 3,000 PPE kits were bought at the cost of Rs 6.96 lakh from Uttarakhand Surgical, through Government e-Marketplace (GeM) where 62 qualified firms had submitted their financial bids for obtaining the order of PPE kits.
However, the first three set of purchase of PPE kits were not made through GeM. Each of these kits, containing gloves, gown, caps, goggles and masks, were purchased between April and May. The purchases were made after receiving clearance by the Police Purchase Committee of the Chandigarh police, headed by a senior IPS officer. Other members of the committee included two DSPs and three inspector rank officers.
Sources in the police headquarters said, “The matter has reached the UT vigilance department, seeking an in-depth probe into the purchase.”
On being contacted, SP (vigilance-cum-headquarters) Manoj Kumar Meena said, “All the PPE Kits along with N-95 face masks were purchased by following the norms and rules of the General Financial Rules (GFR). Indeed, the vigilance department received a complaint in this connection. The complaint stated that only Central government can purchase PPE kits and States/UTs cannot make such purchase. It is wrong. The states/UTs can also purchase and they did purchase like Chandigarh. Initially, when such purchase were made by Chandigarh, there was very less supply. Later, the central government intervened and the prices were put on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), which is the marketplace of the government.”
Sources said that the first three set of PPE kits were procured in the early days of the pandemic, when the kits were available in less number. Later, as many companies began manufacturing PPEs kits, masks and gloves, the prices automatically declined.
GoI instructions ‘overlooked’
The purchase was reportedly made in violation of an order issued by the government of India. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had directed the Principal Secretaries of all the States/UTs to not procure the necessary medical equipment, including PPEs Kits, N-95 masks, ventilators, on their own, as they should be procured centrally by the Ministry of Health and Family, and further distributed to the states/UTs.
The letter was received by the office of Principal Secretary, Health, Chandigarh, through email on April 2.