LAHORE: Punjab Forest, Wildlife and Fisheries Department on Thursday launched a probe into the bidding/tendering process amid an eleventh-hour corrigendum for procurement of shrimp farming-related goods that created doubts about the transparency in the process.

While the department has constituted a three-member committee headed by the FWF additional secretary (administration) to submit a fact-finding report within next 24 hours, it has ordered freezing the procurement process till the outcome of the inquiry, Dawn has learnt.

`The department`s secretaryhas ordered for a probe into this issue, constituting a three-member inquiry committee. Though I also started probing the issue on my own, the secretary stopped me, stating the inquiry team will investigate this issue,` fisheries department director general Dr Sikendar Hayat told Dawn on Thursday.

`Till finding of the inquiry report, the ongoing bidding and procurement process will remain suspended,` he added.

Defending his departmental stance, he said as per procurement regulations, a corrigendum regarding any tender could be uploaded on the website of Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) up to one day before the closing date. Accordingly, the corrigendum in question was publishedwithin the permissible timeframe and in compliance with these rules.

Regarding the requirement of samples for some tender items, he said the corrigendum explicitly allowed flexibility for bidders. In cases where providing a physical sample was challenging, the bidders were given the option to submit a video presentation showcasing the offered model and its accessories at the time of technical evaluation.

The relevant part of the corrigendum is reproduced here for clarity: `Provide sample at the time of technical evaluation or present video of the offered model with accessories.

This provision was made to ensure fair participation of all bidders, including those facing logistical constraints.

It may be mentioned that the ongoing tendering amid a corrigendum at the eleventh hour for the procurement of shrimp-related articles created doubts from some of the bidders, who believe that some `special people` are likely to be `facilitated` allegedly by the Punjab Fisheries Department to win the project. The situation turned suspicious after a corrigendum was covertly uploaded on the EPADS website on Tuesday night just two days before the tender opening date, including Feb 5 holiday.

BoR: Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) Nabeel Javed directed the officials to improve recovery of land revenue and other government dues.

While presiding over a meeting, he emphasized accelerating anti-encroachment operations to reclaim government land.

`The Punjab government`s decision to abolish the transfer fee on property transactions is a significant step,` he lauded. He instructed revenue staff to ensure the timely division of joint landholdings and stated that the Board of Revenue is providing full assistance in preparing `Wanda` records.

He further directed revenue officers to upload all land records to Land Record Centres by Feb 15.