Neither vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar nor Pro V-C Naresh Chandra, or any other official for that matter, have visited the crumbling wing of the Jawaharlal Nehru library at the university’s Kalina campus in the past one year despite several media reports highlighting its dilapidated state, dna has learnt.
The vice-chancellor bungalow is barely 200 metres from the library within the campus. The extreme apathy of the officials has left the library staff devastated.
“How can they be so immune? They get time to visit other countries but can’t spend five minutes in a year for their own staff, who are living under a constant threat to life,” said an angry library staffer. According to sources, head librarian Bhujang Ahire had written a letter to the authorities to draw their attention to the issue two months back, but the letter was ignored.
Another employee said, “Forget repair work, not a single inspection or structural audit has been conducted even though we have reported many times about the falling plaster from the ceiling and cracks in the walls.”
Incidentally, the university had allocated funds to the tune of Rs1.5 crore and Rs1 crore in 2011-12 and 2012-13 for the repair of the library.
The D-wing of the 40-year-old library is in a shambles, with deep cracks on load-bearing walls and ceiling. The staff of nearly 40 and students, who visit the library, pray for their life every day.
dna had reported on the issue in 2012 and on November 14, 2013. Both times, pro vice-chancellor Chandra had claimed that repair work is going on.
“The staff is so afraid of the top officials’ ire that no one has approached their own union yet to escalate the matter,” said an employee, requesting anonymity.
New library worth Rs10 crore on cards?
On the issue of the dilapidated library, pro vice-chancellor Naresh Chandra said, “A new library on the Kalina campus is on cards. We have allocated Rs10 crore for it.” When asked, how will this new library, which may take three to four years to come up, address the Jawaharlal Nehru library staff’s worries, Chandra said, “I am in a meeting. I will get back to you after sometime.” He didn’t revert till the time of going to press.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}