M'rashtra opposition alleges scam in BMC's contract for body bags

Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in Maharashtra and social activist Anjali Damania on Friday alleged a scam in the contract for purchase of 'body bags' to dispose off Covid-19 victims bodies awarded by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to a private company.

BJP leaders Kirit Somaiya, Nitesh Rane and Vivekananda Gupta besides Damania have said that while the market price of these 'body bags' ranges between Rs 200-600 per piece, the BMC has ordered these bags from a private player at Rs 6,719 apiece.

However, following the uproar, Health Minister Rajesh Tope ordered a probe and later Friday, the BMC decided to cancel the contract, reportedly for 100,000 body bags.

"We want an investigation into the 'body bags' scam. The BMC informed me that the contract has been cancelled. Who's responsible for this?" demanded Somaiya.

The BMC had floated a tender for supply of various personal protective equipment and body bags in April, and later one company was finalised for supplying the body bags.

Damania contended that the concerned company has no expertise in supplying body bags, so how was it given such a huge contract, especially since body bags are available for Rs 600-Rs 1,200 in the market.

She demanded that even if the contract is cancelled, the money spent should be recovered and the guilty must be punished.

( With inputs from IANS )