The inordinate delay in a Vigilance inquiry into alleged financial irregularities by the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) Vice-Chancellor (VC) has hit development works of the university.
It is to be noted here that Prof CR Tripathy has assumed the office of VC, BPUT since November 13, 2017.
Prior to that, he had also assumed the office of VC of Sambalpur University. But after assuming the office in BPUT the then Governor of Odisha (in-charge) and Chancellor of universities was apprised by the Skill Development and the Technical Education Department, Odisha that several administrative and financial irregularities have been committed by Prof Tripathy during his tenure since November 13, 2017.
So basing on the allegation, the then Governor on May 26 (just two days before his tenure ended in Odisha) directed the Chief Secretary of Odisha to conduct a Vigilance inquiry in to the allegations and simultaneously asked the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Northern Division) to take over the administrative and financial powers of the VC.
As per the order of the Governor, since then, the RDC (ND) has been functioning as the financial and administrative head of the university and the VC has been rendered ultimately powerless.
Initially, every one of the university was expecting that the bottleneck would be over within two months as the instruction is given to complete a Vigilance inquiry in two months and the Government will take further step to bring normalcy in day to day work of the university.
But so far the stalemate has been continuing and as the VC is powerless and the RDC is sitting over many important files of the university in Sambalpur saddled with other so many responsibilities. Similarly, it is also another difficulty on part of the university staffers to take the files to Sambalpur to get the approval from RDC, says an officer of the university on condition of anonymity.
He says, “On many occasions, we are taking the files all the way to Sambalpur but due to other work loads, the RDC is unable to see the file and in that case, we are forced to leave the file there and return with empty hands. Due to such stalemate and delay in financial and administrative approval, the development works have been hampering.”
So in his opinion, the Government should take an early decision on the powers and functioning of the VC for the betterment of the VC. Another officer on condition of anonymity says that the present VC took over the charge on November 13, 2017 and an inquiry order was given on May 26, 2018.
So it is more than sufficient to complete the inquiry of the documents of these periods in two months but in between already four months have elapsed.
Further, he alleges that the since the inception of BPUT, a lobby group has been operating in the office in Bhubaneswar. As Prof Tripathy went against their lobby and asked the officers who were sitting over in Bhubaneswar to report in Rourkela, they got aggrieved and ultimately Prof Tripathy got victimised and university works are getting hampered.
If the allegation has any basis, then it is a serious conspiracy. Whatever the matter may be, the Government should take early decisions on the fate of the VC to bring normalcy in the university works, demand many.