ALLAHABAD UNIVERSITY'S vice-chancellor Prof Rajen Harshe is increasingly coming under pressure from various quarters to initiate an inquiry into the handling of funds and the purchases made by the varsity's Zoology Department during the past seven years.
On Saturday, Allahabad University Union (AUU) president Ajit Kumar Yadav submitted a memorandum to the VC demanding an inquiry into the matter after seizure of all records of the department.
In a separate move, AUU general secretary Suresh Yadav along with senior student leader Rajesh Singh also handed over a memorandum to the VC urging him to initiate an inquiry into the alleged bungling of funds after removing Prof Pratima Gaur from the post of Zoology department head and the director of Academic Staff College for an impartial investigation. The student leaders threatened to force closure of the department and launch an agitation if the varsity administration tried to help in a cover-up.
In his memorandum, AUU president Ajit Yadav has pointed out to the VC that Prof Gaur has employed a retired AU employee NR Kushwaha and through him taking commissions on purchases being made and has alleged that the funds received by the department under the DST-FIST scheme— Rs 30 lakh for infrastructure facility and Rs 13 lakh for 200 KVA generator and books—too are being misutilised.
"The funds of Zoological Society have been misutilised to the tune of Rs 90,000 to purchase a generator and the diesel to run it. It is well known that no diesel is being spent for the use of generator in the department as the Faculty's silent generator facility is always available in the faculty of science," the memorandum says.
{{/usCountry}}"The funds of Zoological Society have been misutilised to the tune of Rs 90,000 to purchase a generator and the diesel to run it. It is well known that no diesel is being spent for the use of generator in the department as the Faculty's silent generator facility is always available in the faculty of science," the memorandum says.
{{/usCountry}}Other irregularities like non-verification of stock entries of equipment purchased, most purchases being made from two firms being owned by a father-son duo and violation of purchase rules by the department head too have been highlighted in the memorandum.
AUU president has threatened to take direct action and resort to protests and strikes if the varsity administration fails to conduct a thorough inquiry after immediately seizing the department records.
In their memorandum, AUU general secretary Suresh Yadav and student leader Rajesh Singh too have demanded an inquiry into the allegations of bungling in the department and also demanded that Prof Pratima Gaur be immediately relieved of her charge of head of the Zoology department and director of the Academic Staff College for a fair investigation.