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| Without tenders, University purchases equipment worth 1.75 Cr | | Malpractice at SMVDU-I | | Avinash Azad
JAMMU, Sept 11: In sheer violation of Government norms for procurement, the administration of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) Katra has procured irrelevant equipment worth Rs 1.75 crore without floating National or Global tenders.
The university in reply of RTI application has admitted that Mass ARRAY SEQUENOM equipment to carry out research work in Human Genetics, was procured without floating tenders to the tune of Rs. 1.75 Crores. More interestingly the subject Human Genetics is not available in the University.
Smelling irregularities in the functioning of university following the RTI reply, social activist Udhay Chand has filled a case with State Vigilance Organization against university authorities alleging malpractice at SMVDU, but so far no action has been taken by SVO.
In its application to SVO, Udhay Chand has maintained that Prof RNK Bamezai, Former Vice Chancellor, SMVDU, Katra was involved in misappropriation of funds of university. "Prof RNK Bamezai, previous to joining the post of VC, SMVDU, Katra was working as Professor Life Sciences, Jawahar Lal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi with specialization in Human Genetics. Bamezai had purchased equipment known as Mass ARRAY SEQUENOM to carry out research work in genetics in JNU Delhi. His research work at JNU Delhi was being assisted by Rupali Chopra.
Udhay Chand has further maintained that at JNU, Bamezai had procured same equipment, and after assuming the charge of the office of VC SMVDU, Prof Bamezai immediately purchased the same equipment MassARRAY SEQUENOM at a price of $ 3, 68,389. 00 (Approximately Rupees 1.75 crore).
This purchase of high value was made without floating any National/Global tenders, Udhay Chand has written to SVO.
The university authorities were claiming that the machine was purchased without tender in absence of authorized dealers in the country, but on the contrary, later on PIO SMVDU, Katra admitted that the Ace Probe Technologies (India) Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi was the authorized Distributor of SEQUENOM in India, which exposed the vested interests of Prof. Bamezai.
The documents provided by Udhay Chand to Early Times revealed that though the subject of Human Genetics was not available in the SMVDU, so Vice Chancellor brought Rupali Chopra for research, who was working at JNU Delhi.
Subsequently to the information sought under RTI application from PIO SMVDU furnished the names of two additional research scholars associated with the project since the installation of the above said equipment included, P. Kalairasan and Siddarth Manvati and interestingly Prof Bamezai during his posting at JNU Delhi was their guide.
With the exit of Prof Bamezai as VC, SMVDU and a guide therein for imparting the specialized knowledge to the scholars in this particular discipline of specialization, all the above stated three scholars also get disappeared and now the costly machine has been gathering dust at SMVDU.
"They were (above mentioned scholars) occasionally come from Delhi to stay temporarily in the University campus. A reasonable apprehension arises that the above stated three scholars were also registered scholars in JNU Delhi as well as in SMVD University. This double status for receiving the pecuniary benefits from both the Universities requires a probe as it is against the established law", Udhay Chand alleged. |
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