LAHORE, Aug 31: Health department purchase committee has recommended blacklisting of the firm for three years, besides forfeiting its performance guarantee amount for supplying a locally-made insecticide, Temephos Granules, to be used in anti-dengue drive, in contravention of a contract.

In a statement issued on Friday, a spokesman said the department had signed a contract with M/s Edgro (Pvt) Ltd for supply of two insecticides -- Temephos 2 % Granules and Temephos 50 % EC -- to be imported from M/s Gharda Chemicals, India, which is a World Health Organisation certified manufacturer.

The spokesman said that during scrutiny of the import documents, it transpired the firm only imported Temephos 50% EC from India while Temephos 2% Granules, turned out to be locally-made, which was in contravention of the contract.

Resultantly, the purchase committee recommended blacklisting of the firm for three years.

He said as per law, a chance of personal hearing to the firm had to be granted before imposing any penalty on it. Accordingly, the firm was called for personal hearing on August 25, 2012.

Firm’s regional manager who appeared before the committee requested that the managing director was on Eid holidays so the hearing be fixed for next week.

The spokesman said Sept 1 had been fixed as the new date for personal hearing. He said a committee constituted by the chief minister has decided to allow the health department to utilise Temephos 50%EC and make payment for it as it was imported from the WHO-certified manufacturer.

It was also decided that due legal action would be taken against the firm for supplying locally-made insecticide, the spokesman said.