KARACHI, Oct 31: A joint inspection team of Pakistan Army and Ministry of Industries has rejected the initial production of fully fabricated tents of three manufacturers –- destined for quake-hit areas of AJK and NWFP — on the grounds for not meeting specifications of the government.
A senior government official, who is looking after the materialization of this task, told Dawn that some manufacturers had come up with production of 200 to 400 tents but it could not be matched with the requirements of the agreement which was signed on October 27.
The rest of the makers out of total eight will provide initial shipments from Tuesday.
The official, who requested not to be named, disclosed that the inspection team found out different sizes, improper water proofing, low weight of fabric etc., in the tents of the three makers and rejected them.
Replying to a query whether the government would take any action against the tent makers for violating the agreement, the official said that the government would see the possibility how to deal this situation at a time when tent was the most essential requirement to protect quake victims from severe cold and snowfall before the chilly weather engulfs the affected areas.
He said that initially the tent makers had assured to supply 3,000-5,000 tents before Eidul Fitr, but till today the Sindh government had not procured any tents from them.
The official said that perhaps the tent makers were reluctant to produce tents for the federal government’s relief operations at the rate of Rs6,200 per tent as they had got orders in hands for over Rs8,000 or up to Rs11,000 per tent from various international aid agencies, NGOs etc.
The tent makers were still receiving orders from donor agencies and other organization, but the government had restricted all their productions for the purpose of supplying tents to quake affected areas of the AJK and NWFP.
The Sindh government had also imposed section 144 to check the movement of local tents from the city to other destinations. Local tent makers had signed an agreement with the Sindh government on October 27 for the supply of 60,000 fully fabricated tents in the next one and a half months. Eight tent makers in Karachi had signed the deal.
The official said that Rs90 million (which the tent makers had claimed as an advance out of a total of Rs370 million) had already been supplied to the eight tent makers.
A leading tent producer said that he did not know the production of some tent makers had been rejected on specification grounds. To his knowledge, he said production of 200 tents, produced by a leading tent maker had been cleared. Besides, there was a misunderstanding between a tent producer and the government officials regarding the size of tent.
He said that the government had taken very strict measures in keeping a vigil on the factory. He added that some police officials had been posted on eight factories to check the movement of tents and police officials were also patrolling outside the factories. The tent makers said that this was happening only in Karachi while there was no such thing in Punjab.
He said that the association had been clamouring with the government to allow the clearance of old orders for release of tents which had been placed by foreign aid agencies and NGOs. The tent makers had bagged the orders from NGOs and aid agencies at the price ranging between Rs8,000-11,000 per tent.
