Out(r)age before exams: DU college’s power supply may be cut

Out(r)age before exams: DU college’s power supply may be cut

Mohammad.Ibrar@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:10.09.2020

Delhi University’s open-book (online) examinations are set to begin from September 14, and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College in Dwarka may have its electricity supply disconnected a day before that for failing to pay power bills. The college, fully funded by Delhi government, has accumulated dues of over Rs 46 lakh over five months. The principal pleaded that despite numerous pleas, the state government hadn’t released adequate funds, leaving it with an overall deficit of Rs 21 crore. The college has already had its telephone connection terminated due to non-payment of bills.

A few days ago, the college found a BSES notice for disconnection of electric supply under Section 56 (1) of the Electricity Act, 2003, stuck on the main gate, giving the institution 15 days to pay the outstanding amount of Rs 46,38,270 or have the power supply halted.

Speaking to TOI, principal Hem Chand Jain claimed, “Since April 1, Delhi government has only twice given us 80% of the amount required to pay salaries. Other than that, we have received no grants. How can we pay the utility bills?”

Responding to this, a Delhi government official alleged that the government was in receipt of complaints of “serious financial irregularities” in DDU College and its “accounts are being audited”. The official said, “The electricity bill was due on June 25. Colleges have already been given 25% of their grants, and this covers all payments of the first quarter. So, the college needs to explain why it hasn’t paid the electricity bill for the first quarter. Where has the money gone?”

A BSES official said that since DDU was an educational institute, the power company had taken a “compassionate view” and had only served the notice as per DERC guidelines. “We are in touch with the college administration to resolve the matter,” the official said.

DDU College is among the 12 in Delhi University that are fully funded by Delhi government. These institutions have frequently complained about not getting adequate funds for five months. Though the Dwarka institution was not functioning since mid-March because of Covid-19, the principal explained, “Many things are still running in the college. We have to use basic lights from sunset to sunrise for security purposes. We need electricity for our laboratories, and there are teachers who come to the college on work. We cannot shut down the 14 elevators in our sevenstorey college building because they are used by the non-teaching and administrative staff.”

Jain added that in the pre-Covid years, the college ran up an electricity bill of over Rs 20 lakh every month. He disclosed that the institution had also received notice to clear the property tax arrears of around Rs 2.9 crore. “If this state of affairs continues, the college will likely witness a dip in the national ranking,” feared Jain, expecting to slip from the 15th spot it got in 2019 in the Union HRD ministry’s all-India NIRF rankings of colleges.

Some colleges and DU Teachers’ Association have periodically protested against Delhi government allegedly not releasing enough funds to the 12 colleges.

PRINCIPAL SAYS

Since April 1, Delhi government has only twice given us 80% of the amount required to pay salaries

GOVT OFFICIAL SAYS

Colleges have already been given 25% of their grants, and this covers all payments of the first quarter

No printing contractor, DU can’t give degrees

No printing contractor, DU can’t give degrees

Shradha.Chettri@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 10.09.2020

The gowns, mortarboards and speeches continue unchanged but what has disappeared from the Delhi University (DU) convocation is the degree. Since 2017, DU graduates are stuck in a paperless limbo as the university has failed to appoint a printing contractor.

This fact came to light in July this year when some graduates moved the Delhi high court for their delayed degrees, and the HC directed the university authorities to confer digital degree certificates.

Two months later, a portal has finally been set up to accept applications for degrees.

Sources in the DU said the previous contract was cancelled after an audit showed the same party had been printing DU degrees for years.

Degree torture: Burden of compliance on DU colleges

However, professor D S Rawat, officiating dean examination, said, “The contract of the old printing company was cancelled because they had made some mistakes. After that, the university could not finalise the tender document.” This year, DU has invited tenders from printers on March 11, June 8 and July 18, but few have shown interest.

“It is true that, earlier, degrees used to be sent to the colleges. All of a sudden, the practice stopped and we still don’t know the reason behind it,” S P Agarwal, principal of Ramanujan College, said.

When colleges raised this issue, a senior university official directed the examination department to resume sending degrees, but nothing changed. Now, the burden of compliance is on the colleges, as they have been told to provide details of all graduates since 2017 for issuing digital certificates. For the 2019 batch, photographs are also needed.

Sarthak Maggon, advocate for the students, said they have been getting many calls from graduates and have made a list of names to present to the HC on Friday. DU has already informed the court that it has received 30,000 applications for digital degrees, but issued only 23 to the petitioners in the case.

Students who need their degree urgently to apply to other universities have suffered the most in these years.

Times View

Who can believe that the administration of one of the top universities in the country failed to find a company that prints degrees in three years? Such an explanation is totally unacceptable. After the recent open book examination fiasco, this is further evidence that DU needs to get its act together. The future of students cannot be trifled with.

Bus passengers pay toll plaza

Bus passengers pay toll plaza

09/09/2020

Special CorrespondentKrishnagiri

Passengers came to the aid of three State Transport Corporation buses that were denied passage through the toll plaza for non-payment of toll fare here on Tuesday. The Hosur-bound bus carrying passengers from Vellore was stopped at the toll plaza. The bus conductors were apparently told that they will not have to pay any fare at the toll plaza. However, according to the toll plaza sources, there was no such exemption and the buses were asked to pay up.

Following this, two buses were pulled off the roads and the passengers were shifted to another bus. However, passengers of three other buses pooled up their own resources and paid the toll gate fare, much to their dismay, choosing not to be delayed for their destinations.

HC questions petitioner on warning letter

HC questions petitioner on warning letter

09/09/2020

Special Correspondent Bengaluru

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday asked a petitioner to explain on what authority he wrote a letter warning a private channel that airing a documentary on “Cauvery Calling” project would amount to contempt of court.

A Division Bench issued the direction while hearing a PIL petition filed by A.V. Amaranathan, a city-based advocate. ISHA Outreach, which manages the “Cauvery Calling” project, had complained that the petitioner sent an email to Discovery Channel warning that telecasting the documentary would amount to contempt of court.

Kodaikanal will welcome tourists from today: Collector

Kodaikanal will welcome tourists from today: Collector

‘Those applying for e-pass can now click on tourist category’

09/09/2020

Initially, only Bryant Park, Rose Garden and Chettiar Park will open for tourists.G. KARTHIKEYAN

Special Correspondent Dindigul

Tourists from other districts can visit Kodaikanal from Wednesday, Dindigul Collector M. Vijayalakshmi said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Collector said that following representations from applicants intending to visit the hill station and various trade and tourist associations, the district administration had proposed to permit people from other districts to enter Kodaikanal from Wednesday.

The Collector said from now, those applying for e-passes to Kodaikanal could click on the “tourist” category that was not provided earlier on the online application. The government had earlier accorded permission only for marriages, deaths and return of stranded persons to return. Health authorities in Kodaikanal said that initially, only three tourist spots — Bryant Park, Rose Garden and Chettiar Park — would open for tourists. Other locations, including Berijam Lake and Green Valley View, among others, would open in a phased manner after consultation with Forest Departments officials and others.

Similarly, for residents from Dindigul district, a valid identity card (preferably Aadhaar card) would be sufficient for entering the hill station, officials said, and added that based on the arrival of tourists and the level of cooperation from them, the next phase of relaxations would be considered.

Kodaikanal Hotel Owners’ Association president Abdul Gani Raja welcomed the move. “After five months, we are now hopeful of revival. People started enquiring from September 1, but tourists were unable to get e-passes then,” he said. The association, he said, would cooperate with officials.

However, eco-conscious people and residents expressed reservations and described the move as hasty.

Honoured for honesty

Honoured for honesty

09/09/2020

Special Correspondent THENI

Superintendent of Police Sai Charan Tejaswi and his team of officers honoured five people on Monday for their honesty.

On August 31, when Sundarapandi and his friend Mahendran of Varushanadu found ₹ one lakh cash left unclaimed in an ATM outlet in Cumbum, they handed it over to the Inspector of Police, Cumbum. The money was handed over to the rightful owner later.

On Sept. 6, Ketan Patel of Sivananda Nagar here went to an ATM on Periyakulam Road. He found two bundles of ₹ 2000 notes left behind the ATM’s chest. He took ₹ 4 lakh and handed it over to the Theni police station. CCTV footage revealed that bank employees had left behind the cash by mistake after refilling the machine. The bank manager took possession of the cash. Two days ago, Abdul Khader and Abdul Hakeem found four gram gold ring left on the road in Cumbum. When they handed it over to the police, it was found that a local resident had lost the valuable while riding his two-wheeler.

The SP presented them with a reward and thanked them for their gesture.

GRH rises to the occasion

GRH rises to the occasion

09/09/2020

Staff Reporter MADURAI

A 46-year-old woman from Tirumangalam, who was positive for COVID-19 and suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm, was successfully operated upon at the Government Rajaji Hospital here on September 2. Dean J. Sangumani said her problem was discovered at a private hospital two months ago. Since she contracted COVID-19, she was brought to the GRH. Neurosurgeons R. Manimaran and V. Prasad, under the guidance of department head R. Veerapandian, performed a procedure. The patient continues to be on ventilator support in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit but is recovering.

Positive woman delivers baby

A 23-year-old woman, who was COVID-19 positive, with pregnancy-induced hypertension and jaundice, delivered a healthy baby at the Government Rajaji Hospital. In a press release, the Dean said the woman was brought to the COVID-19 speciality hospital wing on August 11 in a critical stage. Doctors from different departments including urology, gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology monitored her health and ensured delivery through C-section. The mother and the baby have made a complete recovery and have been discharged.