No TA paid
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 20 2018: In a shocking development, it has come to light that Manipur University has failed to provide the Travelling Allowance (TA) of the science communicators from various universities and institutes who participated in the 105th Indian Science Congress which was organised from March 16 to 20 this year, with Manipur University as the host.

It may be recalled that numerous scientists, research scholars and science students, had participated in the Science Congress, which is the first of its kind in the State and the second for the North East region.

According to a high level official source, Manipur University, being the host of the event (which was organised under the funding of the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi), was meant to bear all the travelling as well as fooding and lodging expenses of the science communicators who took part in the science congress but it was found that the university had failed to do so.

The source informed that despite sending repeated notice, jointly signed by the science communicators, to Indian Science Congress Association, Manipur University and the Science Congress i/c MU Professor Arunkumar, no positive actions have been taken up till date.

Most recently, the science communicators sent another notice to the authorities concerned on November 18, the source added.

On the other hand, the source mentioned that Professor Arunkumar made repeated assurance that the TA of the science communicators will be paid but till date that there has been no positive development.

The notice sent to the university claimed that the issue has created apprehension regarding the credibility of the university as well as the science congress in the eyes of the science communicators, the source said.

The source then claimed that in a letter sent by Professor Arunkumar to Indian Science Congress Association in May this year, it was mentioned that the bills of the science communicators would be deposited as RTGS in their respective accounts.

However, in another letter sent by Prof Arunkumar to the Indian Science Congress Association in November, it was mentioned that necessary process for depositing the TA bills of the science communicators in their accounts are underway and the approval of the VC has been received as well, the source added.

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