The revered temple of democracy, Parliament of India, which has been for over some couple of years on a digital-makeover spree spending crores of rupees in the process, continues to generate around 100,000 kg of ‘raddi’ or waste paper every year.

This fact came through in course of examination of the Lok Sabha’s online e-tendering bid invitations for the purchase and lifting of waste paper, newspapers and magazines of the Lok Sabha Secretariat from the Parliament House Complex on an annual rate contract basis.

The Additional Director General Works branch of Lok Sabha Secretariat Parliament House Annexe responsible for the disposal of torn waste papers, newspapers, magazines of Lok Sabha Secretariat invites online bids from established contractors for the purchase and lifting of all torn waste papers.

The waste papers annually being sold through e-tendering include all waste papers (torn) (which may include printed, torn, clothed, white, coloured, inked, oiled, unbleached, straw boards, sheets, cutting, trimmings, daily sweepings, torn old records, gatta, old cardboards and cardboard boxes), newspapers (untorn) and magazines (untorn) of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

“The yearly combined accumulation of waste papers, newspapers and magazines is about 1, 00,000 kg (100 tonnes). This figure, however, is only indicative and may vary [increase or decrease] depending on the actual accumulation. The minimum reserve price for waste paper, newspapers and magazines (mixed) shall be Rs12/- per kg,´ the Lok Sabha Secretariat online bids invitation on a Single-Stage Basis under Two Bid Systems viz. Technical Bid and Financial Bid from experienced and established contractors stated.

Under the online bidding norms, the successful bidder shall enter into a contract for a period of one year with effect from the date of entering into an agreement which is extendable for a further period of one more year on the basis of the performance of the firm on the same terms and conditions with 10 per cent increase in the rate quoted by the contractor with the consent of both the parties.

Further the successful bidder “shall take delivery of and remove from the premises of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi all waste papers (torn) [which may include printed, torn, clothed, white, coloured, inked, oiled, unbleached, straw boards, sheets, cutting, trimmings, daily sweepings, torn old records, gatta, old cardboards and cardboard boxes], newspapers (untorn) and magazines (untorn) once at least every week or as and when asked for by the Lok Sabha Secretariat so that no accumulation remains to be removed at the end of every week,” the bid note further stated.

The weight of the waste material is measured before a Committee constituted for the purpose which gives the successful bidder permission for its disposal. For the purpose of weight measurement, the weighing scale owned by the Lok Sabha Secretariat or any other mechanism approved by the Secretariat is used, according to the online bidding invitation.

In the latest notice issued by Lok Sabha Secretariat (General Works Branch) dated 9 December 2021, (Tender No. 50/01/2021/GW) the contract award for the lifting of waste paper from the Lok Sabha Secretariat has gone to a Delhi based Jadgish Purana Bardana Suppliers ‘for purchase and lifting of waste papers of the Lok Sabha Secretariat from the Parliament House Complex for a period of one year.