SHILLONG: The North Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) has demanded institution of a parliamentary committee to look into alleged irregularities in the university.
NEHUTA president, X.P. Mao, in a memorandum submitted to the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Subordinate Legislations, said, “We request your kind attention to the state of affairs of the university and institute a parliamentary committee to look into the irregularities taking place in recent years.”
The chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Subordinate Legislations has promised to ask the Vice-Chancellor, NEHU and report the matter to the MHRD, New Delhi for the necessary action, Mao said.
In a statement issued here, the association alleged that the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. S K Srivastava was neglecting his duties and blamed him for the “downfall of the university”.
The statement said the VC was still on celebration mode after three years of his appointment by being out of station on a regular basis.
It accused the VC of dictatorship as many important posts in the university remained vacant after his appointment leading the university to almost suspended animation.
The association stated that the authorities were trying to stop the promotion of teachers by retrospectively implementing the UGC regulations.
It also pointed out the deplorable state of the buildings in the campus and lack of hostel facilities. “The authorities only seek short term renovations as a way to extort money,” it alleged.
“The fact that the university had to return around Rs 50 crore plan-grant last year due to lack of any initiative from the administration amply clarifies our contention,” the statement said.
The association also alleged numerous instances of financial irregularities by the current dispensation. “In the Tura campus of the university, a sum of Rs 55, 16,438 was spent to build a playground and an artificial lake without financial approval. There was no technical estimate, no approval of the building committee and to top it all no tender was floated with complete disregard to GFRs,” it stated.
“In absence of the prior approval of MHRD, and strong objection from the Executive Council in starting a campus at Jowai, Meghalaya, the university administration has been allotting funds for construction leading to huge financial and administrative irregularities,” the association alleged.
Besides, it was alleged that the administration under Prof. Srivastava has taken resort to gross manipulation/forgery of official documents of the university authorities.
“The Vice Chancellor, being the Chairperson of the various University authorities, hardly has any respect for the rules and regulations. It is learnt that the Vice Chancellor has submitted the annual budget for the university without even placing it in the University Court for discussion and approval,” it said.
“Because of undemocratic and unconstitutional practices adopted by the university administration, many stakeholders are taking resort to the court of law. Such statutory violations by the autocratic VC have led to heavy financial losses to the exchequer resulting in irreparable loss of overall development of the university,” it added.
