SHILLONG: KHNAM MLA, Adelbert Nongrum, has urged Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to remove the incumbent vice chancellor of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), alleging several anomalies were taking place in the institution.
In a petition to the chief minister on Thursday, Nongrum alleged that in notwithstanding serious statutory violations and financial mismanagement, the institution’s vice-chancellor, SK Srivastava was still “carrying out his damaging and irregular activities” in NEHU.
He alleged that Srivastava has recently facilitated the appointment of a retired professor as in-charge director of Indian Council of Social Sciences Research.
Nongrum further alleged that a work order was recently issued to a chosen contractor for replacing feeder pillars in the hostels and residential areas, adding that tendering and retendering were done for three times, in violation of rules and changing the quotation value by the same tenderee whose final quote went above the estimated cost of work.
He alleged that the cost of work was Rs 64.86 lakh while the work was awarded with a value of Rs 69.95 lakh.
Asking the government to probe the matter through anti-corruption agencies, he further alleged that NEHU, since 2018, had started adding an unlawful clause of asking every tenderee to quote 10 per cent below the value of a work so that among all the lowest quotes, whosoever greases the palm could be given the award of work.
He also maintained that NEHU was barbed-wired by concertina coil to make it look like a prison, adding that the per square metre rate of the coil stood at Rs 447, which is a record of sorts.
“This is how NEHU’s regime of Prof. SK Srivastava handled finances. Once again, a proper enquiry shall reveal the rot inside. Each of the work orders and each financial deal during his term need to be investigated thoroughly by agencies of the state,” he stated in the petition.
Accusing Srivastava of violating general financial rules and rules related to finances, he said the BJP-appointed vice chancellor has undermined the only central university of the state. “It is not understandable why the Chief Minister of Meghalaya was still not instituting an inquiry and removing Srivastava. His continued presence is bad for Meghalaya and NEHU. I urge the chief minister to get him removed as soon as possible,” he added.
