New Delhi: Even three years after his retirement from Delhi University, Pondicherry University Vice-Chancellor Gurmeet Singh continues to occupy the official accommodation allotted to him by his former employer with dues of Rs 23 lakh, according to official documents.
Singh, however, claimed that initially, the delay in vacating the Delhi University’s (DU) North Campus accommodation was due to the Covid-induced lockdown, and then later due to miscalculation of dues by the university as well as the time they had. Caused by shortage. Ending. He also accused the varsity of mistreating him and keeping Rs 50 lakh of his retirement fund. Singh was asked to vacate the ‘Type-5’ bungalow in Delhi University’s North Campus Cavalry Lines in the latest notice, which was sent by the varsity last week.
DU, in its ninth notice to Singh since his retirement, also said that if the property is not vacated, action like “connection of electricity and water connection” to the bungalow would be taken. “Neither have you vacated the University accommodation nor have you paid the arrears towards normal license fee and applicable damage charges at the rate of 50 times the water charges. Govt. of India rules six months after retirement Don’t allow it to stay longer.” DU notice to Singh
“On the contrary, you have stayed for a period of more than 2 years and 9 months without paying penal rent. This has been viewed seriously by the University authorities,” it said. DU claimed that the Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University owed Rs 23.70 lakh towards penalty rent and water charges. A distinguished expert in the field of corrosion chemistry and nanofilm deposition, Singh had taken over as the Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University in 2017 and was given a one-year extension in September last year.
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In addition, Singh is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Gandhigram Rural Institute, a deemed university in Tamil Nadu. He retired from Delhi University in October 2019 and was due to vacate the official accommodation by April 2020.
Singh confirmed that he also has accommodation in Pondicherry University. “I have served Delhi University for more than 43 years in various capacities and my superannuation dues of Rs 50 lakh are still pending with the University. My period to vacate the accommodation expired in April 2020, however, COVID-19-induced lockdown and movement restrictions have not allowed me to vacate the accommodation and I am duly informing the university about the same despite ill-treatment meted out to me,” Singh told PTI.
“For the past five months, I have been receiving letters and notices containing unparliamentary language and this propaganda against me is being spread with an ulterior motive. The amount quoted to me for dues is wrong and I have asked for a correction. Once this is done, I will clear the dues and vacate the accommodation at the earliest.”
Singh also said that he was left with little time due to being on top of affairs in two important universities and also due to personal exertion. Delhi University had issued an expulsion order to Singh in October last year terming his act as “grave misconduct”. “There is a long queue of University officials waiting for allotment of flat or bungalow and they are in dire need of accommodation and therefore, any occupier who occupies the premises in an unauthorized manner beyond the stipulated time, will cause hardship to the administration,” it said.
The eviction order issued by the Estate Officer’s Court of University of Delhi states, “This act of the respondent amounts to grave misconduct. After serving the institution for so many years, such an act calls for introspection.” The eviction order further states that “a sitting Vice-Chancellor is misusing his authority and maintaining the accommodation in an unauthorized manner beyond the stipulated time is setting a very bad example to the society and the academic community”. Ignoring administrative procedures and legal proceedings is a serious misconduct and is not expected of a person holding a public office.”
(This report has been published as part of an auto-generated syndicated wire feed. No edits have been made to the copy by ABP Live except for the headline.)
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