After a news about the distribution of substandard zinc sheets appeared on this newspaper's front page on Tuesday, Plan Nepal's Country Director Mattias Bryneson, wrote to Republica stating that he has taken immediate steps to replace substandard shelter materials and ensure that all households get the materials of specific quality as was promised to them."We have directed the supplier to immediately replace all substandard CGI sheets, including those that have already been distributed. The supplier will bear 100% of the costs of this," Country Director Bryneson said.
He admitted that what was delivered by the contracted supplier was not mentioned in the purchase order issued by Plan, implying that the distributed sheets did not correspond with the purchase order in terms of quality.
"This is not acceptable," Bryneson added. "The purchase order that Plan had issued was subject to an open and transparent procurement process."
As per the purchase order, Plan had specifically ordered 26 gauge, 0.475 mm, galvanized sheets.
Coating was specified as "hot dip galvanization" with minimum120 g/m(2) zinc or aluminum-zinc on each side that is 240 g/m(2) total coating weight.
According to Country Director Bryneson, Plan International staff would travel to Boch VDC in Dolakha to meet with the community members, listen to their concerns, and to tell them that Plan would replace those materials.
Last Saturday, Anku Traders, Plan's Kathmandu-based supplier had distributed zinc sheets to 299 earthquake-affected households in Boch VDC.
As soon as the recipients of the sheets found the materials to be of substandard quality they approach Plan's local office to register their complaints.
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