| Is Kashmir’s Central University project doomed to failure? | | Varsity still operates from rented apartments, Rs 800 crore grant lapsed | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 2: Even when the Central University of Kashmir shifted its base to central Kashmir’s Ganderbal two years ago, the permanent varsity campus continues to remain a distant dream with funds worth whooping Rs 800 crores lapsed due to their non- utilisation.
As per the sources, the university even in Ganderbal is operating from the rented structures and no effort has been made by those at the helm to initiate the process of constructing a permanent campus there.
Reports informed that due to the non-utilisation of the funds, an estimated grant of Rs 800 crores got lapsed and the funds have been diverted by the government to other works. As per the official, the project of central university of Kashmir looks doomed forever.
It is being informed that the delay in the construction of the permanent campus resulted in the non utilization of funds released by University Grants Commission (UGC) under General Development Assistance (GDA) in its 12th Allocation Plan for the past three financial years.
Reports informed that there is no forward movement being witnessed vis-a-vis the establishment of the permanent campus at Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal area and the university at present operates from two different building that too have been got by the rent. Sources said that the university every year looses crores of rupees due to not being in possession of the permanent campus and this perhaps could be among the very few universities around the world that function through the rented buildings.
Meanwhile, wheel meeting the UGC team, the vice chancellor of the university Professor Mehraj-ud-din stated in October 2018 that on the directions of the then State government, the university has shifted its administration to Ganderbal and one of the Department’s (Department of Information Technology) has started operating from the designated campus at Tulmulla from a Pre Engineered Building (PEB).
However, on the other hand, the shocking reports about how the district administration of Ganderbal has already informed the government as well the varsity that it would not be safe to construct concrete structures on the land which has been allotted for the purpose of a permanent campus.
There are reports that the district administration of Ganderbal has informed the government that land identified as the university campus during the previous NC- Congess regime isn’t suitable for the establishment of the University campus and that the government should find some alternate site.
It was stated in detailed in the team of experts as well that the entire piece of land is the marshy and it is not even safe to construct a concrete structure at this place. Establishment of the university is a sensitive issue and the government has to rethink whether it is going to have the university at such a place which gives putrid odour and is marshy, hence unsafe for faculty as well as for the students.
In October 2018, the UGC team comprising, Prof. Sushma Yadav, Vice-Chancellor, B.P. S Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, Prof. Inder Mohan Kapathy and Sushma Rathore, Under Secretary, UGC, held threadbare discussions with Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mehraj ud Din Mir, Registrar, Prof. Fayaz A Nika, Finance Officer, Bashir Ahmad Haji, other senior functionaries of the administration, respective campus directors, faculty members and students. The main objective, meanwhile of the team was to seek details over why the delay in the constructing of the campus is done and why the varsity authorities are so much interested to continue function from the rented buildings scattered across the city outskirts of Srinagar.
Two years down the line, no concrete development is being witnessed. |
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