THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, Feb 18: Nilamber Pitamber University finds itself in troubled waters, facing mounting scrutiny from both students and the public. Several university officials are likely to face action, though the exact nature and extent of the measures remain unclear.
A probe team from Raj Bhavan, comprising Officer on Special Duty (OSD) (Judicial) Mukulesh Chandra Narain and Additional Secretary A.K. Satyajeet, conducted the investigation with impartiality and thoroughness.
OSD (J) Narain, though reluctant, briefly interacted with the media today, offering only limited insights into the ongoing developments.
Questions raised about building’s suitability
The OSD (J) said, “Accountability of the officers of the university will be fixed as to how the Academic Bhavan was so taken over without things in it checked”.
“The university ought to have seen the feasibility of the building as to whether it is suitable for it and if it has in it all that is required for the university. Deficiencies were found here,” added the OSD (J).
The OSD (J) sidelined the allegation that taking over of the Academic Bhavan was done in any haste or hurry. To say that the taking over of the building was done in haste is not tenable. What is important is that the university didn’t check the facilities available in the building and took it over, he said quite repeatedly.
The OSD (J) reiterated that the university at the time of taking over the building should have mentioned all its lacking and deficiencies in writing and had the university done this job in writing, it couldn’t have faced such scrutiny as it’s facing now.
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The probe team found the toilets exceptionally good and at par with what one finds at the airport.
The probe findings will be submitted to the Raj Bhavan. Higher authorities are to take the final call in this matter reminded the OSD (J).
Finance Minister’s concerns and allegations
The Raj Bhavan initiated the probe on the memorandum of the state Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore who has raised points of order in regard to the taking over of this building.
The Finance Minister has simple questions. He needs simple answers to it, as he said.
His questions are in the larger interest of higher education. He shared his questions with the correspondent again today.
First, was this building not taken over in all haste and hurry which the university ought to have avoided?
Again, when the building is far from having infrastructure facilities, the taking over of the building defies logic and reasoning. Motives and interests behind the taking over of the building must be brought into the public domain.
Three, how on earth the charge registrar of the university has given in writing about the availability of water in the university when the fact of the matter is the university is as dry as sand, added the minister.
On being asked if the Raj Bhavan team had informed him on Monday, the day it arrived here, about the inquiry to take off here, the minister said “No.”
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The minister said the construction agency can’t take everyone for a ride. It must answer to the enormous lack in the building.
Again this building was to be over and complete in 2020 but it dragged into four more years getting a good package of 43 crores more for it, charged the minister.
On the other hand the university washes off its hands of any vested interest in taking over the building saying the then-incharge Vice Chancellor Bal Kishun Munda who was to retire on January 31, pressed the officers to take over the building on January 24 itself.
