PESHAWAR, July 25: The provincial health department has advised the medical superintendent of the district headquarters hospital, Haripur, to award a contract for the purchase of equipment for the hospital, despite the lapse of funds last year, official sources said.

In fiscal 2002-03 budget, the Haripur district government had allocated Rs11.5 million for the equipment purchase, but the district coordination officer (DCO) had failed to use the amount within time, said the sources.

The DCO had floated four tenders which were later cancelled. The last tender was floated on May 20, 2003, and a Rs5.4 million contract was awarded to a Peshawar-based contractor on June 2,2003, for the purchase of clothing and surgical instruments.

But the superintendent the tender on June 24, 2003, accusing the contractor of having not completed the supply within seven days as per agreement.

Meanwhile, the contractor submitted an application with the secretary health office asking him to hold an inquiry against the medical superintendent. The contractor contended that he had already deposited 15 per cent of the tender’s capital amount as call deposit fee and had placed orders with international firms for the purchase of required equipments, but the tender was declared null and void without assigning any reason.

He argued that according to the rules, he had 60 days for the supply. The secretary health office last week through an office order advised the medical superintendent to let the contractor complete the supply, despite the lapse of amount.

The sources said it was not in the domain of the secretary health to interfere in the district affairs after the installation of district governments two years ago. The DCOs were responsible for these matters, said the sources and added that the secretary health’s directives to the medical superintendent were against the rules.