Shimla, Oct 21,
Following allegations of gross irregularities in the tender process, the Himachal Pradesh Marketing Board (HPMB) has cancelled the allotment of the Rs 75-crore Controlled Atmosphere (CA) store at Parala and the collection center at Khara-Pathar. The Board will now invite fresh bids to ensure transparency and fair competition.
The state government had ordered an inquiry after it came to light that these government-built cold storage facilities were leased to a Punjab-based firm for a 10-year period at a rent of just Rs 3.36 crore — a deal that triggered widespread criticism and political uproar. The issue was also raised by BJP MLA Randhir Sharma during the Monsoon Session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, prompting the government to initiate a probe into the tender process.
Following the preliminary investigation, the Board stopped the allotment and cancelled the tender.
HPMB Managing Director Hemis Negi said, “Old tenders have been cancelled. New tenders will be invited soon to maintain transparency and ensure that orchardists benefit from these modern facilities.â€
Built entirely with government funds, the Parala CA store has a capacity of 5,600 metric tonnes and includes a 10-tonne-per-hour grading line, while the Khara-Pathar collection center was designed to strengthen post-harvest infrastructure in the state’s apple-growing belt.
However, due to the tender controversy, both facilities remained non-operational this apple season, depriving growers of much-needed storage and marketing support.
Former APMC Shimla-Kinnaur chairman Naresh Sharma termed the earlier lease arrangement as “blatant loot,†demanding that the re-tendering be done transparently and that at least 50% of the storage capacity be reserved for apple growers.
The Board has assured that the fresh bidding process will begin soon so that these high-value facilities can be made operational before the next apple season.
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