The Pioneer, Feb 8, 2010
PNS, Bhubaneswar
The temple management of Koraput-based Sabara Srikhetra and the Vice-Chancellor of the new Central University of Odisha (CUO) based here seem to be on a war-path.
In response to the allegations against the temple management made by CUO V-C Surabhi Banerjee in at a press conference in Bhubaneswar on February 3, the management secretary KC Panigrahy rebuts through a press release (Lr No 35/JM/10 Dt- 4.01.2010) “we are not able to appreciate how and why a V-C of her stature could stoop so low and it speaks her credibility”.
In a letter (No 23/JM/10 Dt 27/01/2010) earlier dashed to the incumbent Collector Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Panigrahy has urged for ‘immediate intervention’ into the allegedly sorry state of CUO’s affairs for the larger interests of both the students and the State.
Taking strong exception to the incumbent V-C Surabhi Banerjee’s disclosure to the students and teachers on January 23 at the University Campus stating that the Temple authorities are claiming for the re-imbursement of Rs 15 lakh incurred during the CUO’s inaugural ceremony on August 29 last year following which she has moved the State Government for payment, Panigrahy retorts “it is her panic reaction in a bid to divert the attention of the agitating students and public despite being well aware of the facts.”
“Only on her personal request and the advice of the Collector, the temple authorities had remodelled the COATS campus making it suitable for running the CUO and had also arranged the inaugural ceremony at Nisani Munda,” the letter states detailing on the total expenditure incurred and urging the Collector to take up the matter with the V-C and ensure prompt reimbursement of Rs 13,61,329.00 incurred by the temple in good faith.
The V-C had personally requested to remodel the COATS campus engaging extra workers prior to the visit of the Central team headed by the Joint Secretary (HRD) having specifically told Panigrahy in the presence of the Collector and other officers of CUO that the expenditure made for remodelling of the COATS campus and white washing/painting of the proposed hostel buildings will be met from the CUO fund. OSD of CUO had also given in writing (letter No CUO/1013/2009 dated 1.8.2009 addressed to the Collector) that the expenditure will be reimbursed from the University fund. Pertinent to note that the present Collector happened to be the then Sub-Collector and had been an eye witness to the developments, the letter points out.
Pointing a finger at the V-C, Panigrahy alleges that on the eve of the inaugural ceremony, Rs 55 lakh has been spent on advertisements in the Kolkata and Delhi editions awarding a contract to one M/S Alakananda Publications (vide CUO file No.1024/CUO/09).
“The expenditures made is not as per the Government Order No G 23011/22/2009 - IF.I, Government of India, Ministry of Human Resources Development”, Panigrahy argues citing (read with the Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure OM issued in F.No.66 (16)/PF-11/2009 dated 24th July 2009 and No.7 (I). E. Coord / 2009 dated 7th September, 2009 which inter alia stipulated urgent need for rationalization of expenditure and optimisation of available resources in order to ensure adequate resources for meeting the development needs).
The letter also alleges that despite six quarters being alloted by the State, the V-C is staying at Bhubaneswar-based Hotel Mayfair paying a daily rent of Rs 6,000.On the plea of holding a seminar, all the students and teachers were shifted from Koraput to Bhubaneswar bearing their TA/DA and lodging at Bhubaneswar out of the university funds.
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