Lok Shakti too seeks impartial probe into funds embezzlement
The Lok Shakti Abhiyan on Monday alleged that the State’s oldest pharmacy college, the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mahuda, Ganjam, has remained neglected for the last 40 years and has, thus, become an institution of corruption and scam.
“The College of Pharmaceutical Sciences was established in 1979. The State Government had provided Rs 4 lakh in two installments. But, the Government has not conducted any audit into accounts of the college for the last 40 years. Now, the Ganjam Phulbani Chemist and Druggist Association has shrewdly taken over it,” alleged Abhiyan members at a Press meet held at Utkal Ashram here.
Earlier, Ganjam district Collector, Berhampur Municipality Chairman, intellectuals and Government representatives were used to be members of the college governing body. But it is not understood how the Ganjam Phulbani Chemist and Druggist Association (GPCDA) is running the college with its licence number, they remarked.
They alleged that the GPCDA has been siphoning off college funds for 30 years now. “The GPCDA is not a democratic body.
The BPCDA secretary and others have been looting funds of contributed by poor students. A non-Odia and unskilled person has remained as Principal of the college for long. We demand that the Principal be transferred and the Government takes over the college forthwith,” they demanded while reminding that the Government had in 2010 promised in written to take over the college.
In 2006, former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had unveiled its ‘Cancer Chemo Therapy Research Unit’. While it was alleged that Rs 80 lakh was embezzled, no investigation or audit was done into the spending.
The Abhiyan demanded that an impartial probe be conducted into the allegation to bring out the figures and facts.
Abhiyan Gajam district president Madhusudan Sethi presided over the Press meet.