CHITRAL: The principal of government degree coIIege, Chitral, has invited tenders for the construction and repair works costing Rs2.5 million though the college is not an executing agency to spend such a heavy amount.

A government contractor told Dawn that the work was to be executed by the communication and works (C&W) department, but the college principal invited tenders from the contractors against the rules.

Being one of the competitors, the contractor said that at first Rs1,500 were charged for the tender forms instead of the fixed price of Rs1,200.

He said that no competition took place and one of the relatives of the principal was given the contract of the work. The contractor said that the college was not an executing agency of development works as it had no technical staff while a qualified accountant acquainted with public works accounts was also needed to prepare the bills and make payments.

He said that the principal contended that the C&W department wasted a large part of the amount in the form of kickbacks of contractors and commission of its staff and he wanted to carry it out ensuring transparency. He said that the winning contractor paid Rs8,000 each to other bidders, while the principal was fully aware of it.-Correspondent