Calcutta, Feb. 6: Extortion in the name of construction has officially been acknowledged with Hidco holding a meeting today between representatives of supply syndicates and contractors in Newtown.
The government agency laid down guidelines on the quality and quantity of construction materials supplied by the groups that claim political backing (see chart).
Hidco chief Debasish Sen said the government wanted to "deal firmly" with the syndicates. But some contractors remained sceptical, saying the menace is a law-and-order problem and it had to be addressed by agencies such as police, which have prosecuting powers.
Although Hidco general manager (engineering) Narayan Chandra Seal refused comment on the two-hour meeting, another official said it had become "imperative" for the agency to "broker peace" as the situation was spiralling out of control. Around 20 syndicate representatives attended the meeting, sources said.
A contractor said how the syndicates supplied substandard materials and lesser quantities than that ordered. "Ideally, a truckload of bricks should have 1,000 pieces but we don't get more than 900. They charge between Rs 7,200 and Rs 7,400 for a truckload of bricks but supply powder-coated inferior bricks. The amount of sand and stone chips is also invariably less than the quantity ordered."
He said for building walls, best-quality bricks, with almost zero salt content, uniform shape and properly baked, were needed. "Construction quality suffers because of inferior bricks. But we have no option but to accept what the syndicates supply because they have political backing."
A promoter said the syndicate representatives were "non-committal" on most of the guidelines. "The members of the syndicates did not protest when the Hidco representative lay down the new rules of supply, but they were non-committal. They only agreed to work out a uniform price list in a month."
Although he welcomed the efforts of Hidco, he was sceptical about the agency's ability to ensure supply of quality material at fair prices. "We are facing law-and-order problems and the police should protect us from the clutches of the syndicates. The police know about the syndicates' tactics but have done nothing so far. We don't know how Hidco will enforce the guidelines," the promoter said.
After the Mamata Banerjee government came to power, there have been several complaints that Trinamul-backed syndicates were forcing contractors to accept inferior materials at premium rates. The Telegraph had reported incidents of alleged arm-twisting, such as the forcible stopping of work on a 4km road at the Rs 300-crore Elita Garden Vista project site in New Town.
The Trinamul leadership, including Mamata, has refuted such allegations.
Hidco chairman Sen, however, admitted today that there have been "sporadic reports against some of the syndicates". "The government wants to deal with the syndicate menace firmly." But he denied that syndicate members were present at the meeting, adding that the "sole purpose" of the gathering was to address the concerns of the contractors.
The owner of a city-based real estate company who sent his representative to the meeting said members of "several syndicates" from areas such as Jatragachhi, Nababpur and Patharghata were present at the meeting.
He said the Newtown Contractors' Association, a 126-member body that was set up in September to primarily counter the strong-arm tactics of the syndicates, had met Seal a week ago and apprised him of the problems the contractors were facing because of the groups.
"This is the first time that an attempt has been made to rein in the syndicates. We are happy with what Hidco has proposed. It is, however, too early to comment whether the agency can successfully control the syndicates," the promoter said.
The problem with syndicates is not new in the township, conceived in the mid-nineties. CPM leader and former Hidco chairman Gautam Deb, who had steered land acquisition for Newtown, had floated the concept of syndicates to give an alternative livelihood to land losers and bring them under the party fold.
Estimates suggest that there are 750-odd syndicates in Newtown and all of them have switched allegiance to Trinamul from the Left after the change of guard at Writers'.
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