THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, December 1: It’s no less of a ‘shock’ for the Nilamber Pitamber University (NPU) to find three of its new colleges going without electricity for months and months of their becoming functional.
Mahila Degree College, Japla, Mahila Degree College, Latehar, and Degree College, Chhaterpur have no electricity connection to date.
Each of these three colleges has an estimate for electricity connection like Mahila Degree College, Japla, has an estimate of 7.37 lakhs, Mahila Degree College, Latehar, 14.5 lakhs and Degree College, Chhaterpur, 11.20 lakhs.
The variation in the amount of the estimates is for reasons of distance, number of poles etc from the nearest electrical installation of the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited (JBVNL).
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These estimates were sent to the state higher education department for the sanctioning of funds for each of the three estimates months ago, but there has been no response to them from the higher education department.
High Costs of Temporary Arrangements
During the examination period, these colleges hire a generator set, which is a costlier expenditure.
Vice Chancellor of Nilamber Pitamber University (NPU) Dr Prof Dinesh Kumar Singh on being contacted by the Jharkhand Story Network correspondent said, “We are exploring the possibility of meeting these estimates worth 32 or 33 lakhs of rupees from our internal resources as any further wait for sanctioning of these estimates by the higher education department will not be in any interest of these colleges.”
“If and when the higher education department sanctions these estimates and funds are released then expenditures made by us would be adjusted to,” suggested the VC.
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VC’s Efforts to Improve University Power Supply
VC Dr Singh is credited with bringing in new electricity connections to the university, as for three years or so, electricity supply to the university was in fact in the hands of the construction agency, which at times used to disconnect the electricity supply to the university as part of pressure tactics to yield the university to its various demands.
Fuel cost of the heavy generator set in the university has sharply declined following the university having its own independent electricity supply now in the ongoing tenure of this VC.
