State Information Commissioner, Hafiz Usman, had taken strong note of in-action of the senior officials of the Sports Department sitting in the government, who alleged to have dumped his recommendation of stern action against principal and other officers concerned of Guru Govind Singh Sports College here at lucknow.
“Principal Secretary Sports, Anita Bhatnagar Jain had assured me that action against those found guilty in the enquiry made in connection with gross irregularities committed in the Sports College at lucknow, will be taken soon. However, since a long time has been already passed of it, so I had taken very strong note of it and appraised the officials concerned that if no immediate action will be taken than he would be bound to brought the matter in the knowledge of the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav to get the culprits punished”, asserted Usman, when contacted on Monday afternoon.
When asked that how much more time it would take for the Sports Department to punish the guilty, Usman said that it is surprising that so far only Departmental proceedings has been started against the officials when they must be also placed under suspension as two separate enquires had already exposed that how the officials at Sports College in lucknow were indulged in corruption and that too openly violating all norms. Usman claimed that he had already issued warning in this regard and if no appropriate action will be initiated, they he will call on chief minister and brought every thing in his knowledge so that not only the officials of Sports College, but those giving them patronage in the Government should also face action.
It may be mentioned that from gross irregularities in appointment of staff and teachers, giving them promotion against the laid norms, admitting more students than the sanctioned strength, to siphoning of huge sum through collection of fees or in the name of forwarding government sops to students, all grips Guru Govind Singh Sports College in lucknow which once known to have produced international level players. The above sensational fact has been revealed through an enquiry conducted by State Sports Director, Dr RP Singh, made on recommendation of Information Commissioner, Hafiz Usman.
Usman disclosed that the probe report submitted by Sports Director, Dr RP Singh, pointed that one Ravi Saksena, was appointed as clerk in 1977 on temporary basis and later in 1978, he was given post of account clerk also on temporary basis. It may be mentioned here that the minimum qualification for account clerk is Bachelor in Commerce and Saksena was just intermediate (arts side) pass but still he was facilitated with senior post. Besides, the laid rules also not permit to promote anyone on the account clerk post but still the college authorities overlook the norms.
Interestingly, in January 1984, the Sports Directorate changed the name of account cleark as assistant accountant so Saksena was again given the post in violation of norms. Not only this, the college authorities in gross violation of norms, again promoted Saksena to the post of accountant in 1990 against all the rules and overlooking his educational qualification. Surprisingly, not even the meeting of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) which is mandatory for promotion, has been called to facilitate senior post to Saksena.
Besides the above illegal appointment, the probe pointed that teachers were illegally appointed on `honorarium’. The enquiry revealed that direct appointment, without taking any consent or direction from the sports directorate or the government, has been made on `honorarium’ basis. Dr RP Singh mentioned in his report that at least advertisement regarding vacancy should be made but this was also overlooked by the college authorities. He said that a Committee should be formed by the Principal, which should later invite application and on order or merit, the teachers should be appointed on honorarium but all this have been over-looked by the then principal. Interestingly, then principal, Anil Kumar Banudha, who is also joint director in Sports Directorate, is nodal officer at Directorate to look after appointment of teachers on honorarium and was well aware of the laid rules but still he openly violated it during recruitment in Sports College at lucknow.
In another gross irregularities, the probe pointed that against the sanctioned strength of the students in the Sports College at lucknow, the principal admitted several more students without seeking consent and even fees collected from them, has been not submitted in the official account. As per the probe, sanctioned strength of students in Sports College at lucknow is 320 students as per government order issued in 1975 and later in 2007, this has been further increased by 25 students taking the total strength to 345. Against the above strength, the college authorities admitted 376 students in 2012-13 session, 436 students in 2013-14 session and 515 students in 2014-15 session. Not only this, the probe also showed that in 2012-13, fees of 15 students has been not deposited in the college accounts and this number increased to 26 students in 2013-14 whose fees has been not deposited. This number further increased to 171 students in the current session. The probe also reveal that all government facilities like education, food, kit, sports gadgets etc were provided to these students at government’s expenditure. The college authorities failed to show any order or direction of the government, on whose basis they admitted extra students than the sanctioned strength.
During the above period in which more students were admitted than the sanctioned strength, illegal appointment of teachers on honorarium has been made, the principal of Sports college was Anil Kumar Banudha. Director Sports, Dr RP Singh recommends that since Banudha was primarily held responsible for entire irregularities regarding admitting more students than the strength, besides embezzlement of government fund so action should be initiated against him besides constituting a departmental enquiry for further action. Subsequently, Usman had commended action and sent a report to principal secretary sports but so far nothing has been done against the guilty officials.