Conventional construction vis-a-vis pre- fabricated constructions

Conventional construction vis-a-vis pre- fabricated constructions.

Some of the excellent policy measures , resolutions, laws and act , so far passed and enacted by th central and state government and their corporations in general and the ever progressive government of Maharashtra in particular ,are given below with comments of Mr. Shirke:

1.The Conference of All-India Housing Ministers and Housing Secretaries, held at Srinagar from 21st to 22nd May 1987, amongst many other resolutions such as National Housing Policy, starting of National Housing Bank etc. have also unanimously passed three resolutions (Resolution No.11) i.e.(I ) to promote the use if low cost, alternative new building materials in housing , thereby contributing to affordability of housing, the schedule of items of works of housing agencies/PWDs should include the use of the same right at the planning stage only; (ii) to promote the use of factory -made building materials and components and adoption of innovative technologies, the manufacturers of such materials/components should be given a preferential treatment through lump sum/turnkey contracts at comparable rates without going through the normal tender procedures and (iii) to promote setting up of building materials manufacture and distribution centres and industries , captive markets and financial support be provided specially by housing authorities .

BGS: Unfortunately, not only nobody is honouring and implementing these excellent resolutions, but the vested interests are also trying their best to sabotage the same by both covert and overt administrative machinations.

Both the Central and State Governments and their Corporations have passed the Government Resolutions /Government Orders years back to give price and product preference in Government tenders even for building construction to those tenders , who offer to use all and/ or at least maximum number of materials, having BIS (ISI) norms and uniform quality of work .
BGS: Unfortunately, nobody is observing and implementing the same under some excuse and thus the various syndrome of the chicken and egg is being perpetuated. At least whatever proven multi-quality building materials, having BIS (ISI) norms and marks, available should be used by providing them in the plans, specifications estimates and contracts right from the planning stage as a rule.
The ever progressive Government of Maharashtra have also passed the unique and epoch-making Policy Resolution of 11.12.1984 to reserve 15 lacs sft of annual works by the name of a pioneering innovate path-finding classified industry of Mr. Shrike & Company, without the so-called publicly invited tenders , instead fixing rates by negotiations. This Policy Resolution of 11.12.1984 was challenged as many as ten times in the different High Courts and their Appellate Courts, and all the ten times, it was vouched as in the best public interests, Fully fortified by the Supreme Court of India .
BGS: Maharashtra Legislature has passed the MHADA Act in 1976. Under Section 28 of this Act, it is mandatory on MHADA to encourage, manufacture , use prefabs; change tender notice and contract documents to suit turnkey lump sum offers and even participate with successful manufacturers of proven prefabs under the companies Act of 1956 to achieve their most cherished objectives of creation of ample social mass housing and eradication of slums.
Before passing this Bill in the Winter Session of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in December 1976, the Bill was referred to the Select Committee comprising of 27 members, who had visited Shirke-Siporex Consortium’s factories and works at Pune in October 1976 and made the following recommendations:
Quote: Recommendations of the legislature Select Committee
clause 28- Amendment “In the context of modern times the major portion of the housing needs of the community will have to be provided for by the State. It is, therefore , imperative that construction costs have got to be as low as possible and for that purpose cheaper housing material has got to be found . The Committee are convinced that use of prefabricated house components enables work to be executed speedily . The work is of good quality and is not much costly. The committee have, therefore , decided that a duty and function should be cast upon the Authority to undertake and promote prefabrication and mass production of building components. Clause No. 28 has been amended with this end in view”.
BGS: Still the main sponsors of this policy GR dated 11.12.1984 of Government of Maharashtra, i.e. MSADA , on whom lies by MHADA’s own Act of 1976, Section No.28 this as mandatory, are not only not honouring the same, but are also trying their best to sabotage the same by administrative machinations., inspite of the highest legal authorities of the country repeatedly vouching this GR and the reservation by the name of a classified pioneering path finding innovative industry of Mr. Shirke & Company as in the best public interests because Mr. Shirke & Company are not working for personal profits, but they are trying to solve an acute burning social problem , which has only a technology solution. Is this not MHADA’s personal animus and enmity of the worst order apart from these anti-social, anti-national and anti-technology activities and thus take personal revenge on Mr. Shirke & Company ! Therefore, their such actions are malafide and ultra virus of the MHADA authorities as per Supreme Court’s verdicts on similar cases and also now attract the Doctrine of Promissory Estoppel .

Now unfortunately MHADA is the only one who is blatantly flouting and dishonouring the same. This is anti-technology and hence anti-social , anti-national and must stop immediately.
Parliament has passed an Act of Marking under Licensing of ISI, now BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) , i.e . Indian Standards Institution (Certification Marks) Act of 1952 for consumer protection, Which cannot be implemented without Industrialisation; but no one is trying to use at least building materials , that are proven and are available, having BIS (ISI) norms and marks. Who will try to innovate under such conditions !
Bureau of Indian Standards (ISI) have passed several standards and even National Building Code; but nobody observes them.
The Committee was appointed in 1973 by the Government of Indian’s erstwhile works & Housing Ministry , to popularise these light -weighted steam-our building materials, having high strength to weighted steam rations , like Siporex and others, that save cement ,steel timber and also save limited non-replenishable mineral resources like iron-ore, lime stone, coal, oil, forest produce etc. But all try to give excuses that nothing is available, thus perpetuating the vicious circle and the syndrome of chicken and egg whether tree first or seed first and thus maintain their largess.
The Government of Maharashtra had appointed the ATRE Scrutiny Committee in 1974, and this ATRE Scrutiny Committee , after very critically studying all the new available and proven building materials technologies, had made very good recommendations and Government of Maharashtra have also passed the resolution long back in 1976 that all tenders must be invited on alternative basis i.e. one by conventional and the other on turnkey lump sum basis from proven manufacturers in three envelopes because unless it is clearly stated in the tender notice, alternatives cannot be considered legally on the grounds that alternatives were not invited in the tender notice itself. Hence, inviting alternatives, based having BIS (ISI) norms and marks, cannot be considered. Inspite of all these excellent measures, the technocrats in Government employment are dishonouring all these excellent measures and Laws . So they should be punished. How can they be kept in Government or in Public Service if they behave like this !
The National Committee on Science & Technology (NCST) has located and selected Siporex Indian Limited as In-house R&D Body; but the civil engineering fraternity is non-responsive .
The then Department of Science & Technology (now Ministry of Science & Technology ), Reserve Bank of India, BIS (ISI),NBO and even Ministry of Defence have passed several resolutions to give product and price preference to new proven building materials and methods of execution of works on turnkey lumpsum basis, as this alone will enable holding the planning and executing agency fully responsible for their turnkey lumpsum contracts by the use of proven in dustrialised/ prefabricated. Building materials , having BIS (ISI) norms and marks ; while no one is responsible for anything in conventional subjective civil engineering discriminative tenders and primitive one-sided contract documents drafted the Britishers some 200 year back for extremely small work and different purpose and need thus perpetuating the SUPER SCAMS .
Reserve Bank of India has appointed a Working Group of this subject in 1977 and have made similar excellent record mendations ; but there is response from civil engineering fraternity, as they all forget an ignore all such good efforts.
Planning Commission long back in 1967-68 had appointed Committee, under the chairmanship of Late Lt. G. Harkiratsingh , to change contract documents etc. This Committee had made a good respond and recommendations; but the civil engineers do no implement the same.
As per the Technology Policy Statement of the Government of India, Department Science & Technology, published in January 1983 , it is state as under;
Protection : Legislative Framework “A mechanism will be set up ensure that national interest arising from the generating of technology and fully protected”.
BGA: The Government of India have taken excellent stet during the last three months respect of securities and bank scams – namely accepting at the time of submission on Jankiraman Committee Report , Government immediately passed an ordinary within one day; arrested the culprits; appointed a special court ; cases are being conducted and many other definers are also being captured a kept in jails during the remain periods etc.