Release Rs 30.5 crore to PU, HC tells UGC

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 19

Nearly four months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court took suo motu cognisance of a news report carried in these columns on Panjab University’s financial troubles, the Bench today directed the University Grants Commission to release Rs 30.5 crore expeditiously, preferably within four weeks.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, the Bench of Justice SS Saron and Justice Darshan Singh also rapped the respondents for not doing their bit. Taking a serious view of the fact that 15 per cent over the previous year’s budget was being paid to universities other than the PU, the Bench asserted: “Shall we tell them ( the PU) to shut doors on March 31 and ask the teachers and students to vacate. Why not finish it off? The university is older than the UGC. You can go and say you have been successful in closing a 100-year-old university in a modern city like Chandigarh. We will get the teachers adjusted in other universities such as Punjabi University, Kurukshetra University…”

Earlier, during the proceedings, Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain told the court that the PU had prepared a proposal for the enhancement of the grant. It was with the Government of India and six weeks were required to examine it.

Appearing for the State of Punjab, Additional Advocate General PPS Thethi asserted that the PU’s proposal submitted to it was with the Finance Department. The Bench, in turn, asserted that the High Court orders were being treated as bureaucratic orders. “You can’t just say the Finance Department is considering it”.

During the course of the hearing, Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover said the university had given inputs to the Punjab Government. Rather, it had been doing so since November last year. Representations had, in fact, been made at every level.

The VC asserted that Rs 44 crore released earlier was for the December-January salary. Another Rs 35 crore was required for the subsequent salary being paid as per the UGC norms. He said 15 per cent would come out to Rs 30 crore. “Let the enhanced amount be released.” The VC also told the Bench that Rs 316 crore was left in the current budget head of the UGC from which money was being released. “What is the difficulty in giving Rs 30.5 crore?” he questioned. University counsel Girish Agnihotri and Bhuwan Vats added that the amount would be sufficient up to February-end.

Justice Mahesh Grover of the High Court had earlier asserted that Panjab University’s stakeholders were constantly obstructing its efforts to be declared a Central  University. Justice Grover had asserted its stakeholders had done little to share the financial burden, and its declaration as a Central University could possibly have ameliorated the situation.

In his detailed note, Justice Grover had asserted that evidently if the doom was predicted so soon, the institution must be in a state of decay already. Referring to the VC’s statement on the university being in the hands of the mafia, Justice Grover had added it, too, could not be wished away. The cumulative impact of both statements would invite the concern of all associated with the premium institution.

As an alumnus, Justice Grover said he was venturing to take suo motu notice of the serious state of affairs, particularly the apprehension of the VC on shutting down the university for lack of funds.