Chaos has struck the Choudwar College with teachers and non-teaching staff not getting salary for last four months. Electricity supply to the college was cut off last week owing to nonpayment of consumption charges. The unpleasant situation arose out of the absence of an approved regular Principal in the college, that continued for last three months till the Higher Education Department, at last, appointed Shivanarayan Rana, the senior-most member of teaching staffs as Principal in-Charge on December 29.
Soon after taking over charge he ensured power supply on priority, but the employees are yet waiting to draw their salary.According to reports, it all started since September 30 when the regular Principal of the college retired. She did not follow the standing provisions for nomination of her successor.
Instead of sending the name of four senior most deserving teaching staff for obtaining the approval from the Department of Higher Education for Principal's post, a list of four staff members who are not senior was sent causing delay in appointment of a regular head of the institution. The persons whose names were recommended allegedly belong to a lobby group. It is also surprising that the Cuttack Sub-Collector-cum-President of the college Governing Body, recommended a member from the list who figure at 14 in the rank of seniority.
However, the proposal for obtaining approval for the Principal in-Charge sent to the Higher Education Department after pending for months was disposed of recently. It is alleged that the processing of the file was deliberately prolonged thanks to lobby exercised by a dominant coterie in the college. It is also alleged that some of them are involved with a financial fraud.
Lakhs of rupees of the college money have been recovered from one of them after audit objection in the past and an RTI application regarding the embezzlement of funds allotted for construction of a cycle stand for students filed by a local months ago has still not been complied with.