SUPC set July 15 ultimatum for removal of principal over fund misappropriation
Source: Hueiyen News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, July 03 2015 : Students' Union, Pettigrew College (SUPC) Ukhrul has set a July 15 ultimatum to the State Government to remove the Principal in charge of the College over alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to over 40 lakhs meant for development of the institute.

Informing this to media persons in a press conference held on Friday at UDWJA Office, Viewland, General Secretary AS Tuishang said that the University Grants Commission (UGC) North Eastern Reional Office Guwahati sanctioned a total of Rs.40, 50, 000 as Grants-in-aid during Xllth Plan Period to the college for procurement of various equipments and teaching aid items on March 10, 2012 .

He said that out of this, Rs.16, 75, 000 was meant for upgrading the existing laboratory equipments and Rs.8, 25, 000 for providing the institute with power back-up facilities, while another Rs.13, 00, 000 was meant to furnish it with various teaching aid items and Rs.7, 00, 000 to equip the institute with reprographics items including computers and printers.

However, the Principal in charge Dr Ninghorla Zimik who is also the president of the students' union, had kept the students of the college in the dark about the grants, he alleged before adding that when students came to learn about it by themselves last month, the principal allegedly told them that the fund had been utilized in procuring all the requirements of the institute.

"Thereafter a joint team of SUPC representatives and Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) leaders carried out an inspection at the college on June 24 last," Tuishang disclosed and further informed that then only we came to know that nothing worthwhile had been procured for the college out of the huge amount of fund.

"Not a single piece of equipments was found procured for laboratory, electronic power back-up and teaching aid, except three lap-top computers and three unusable or reject printers which are lying idle at the institute computer room," he said.

Further charging Dr Zimik with dereliction of duty, SUPC executive Shanreipam Ningshen said that the principal in charge is most of the time out of station without caring for the fate of students of her college.

"Rather than running the institute, she is quietly staying in Imphal most time of the year running after some contract works for her personal gains," the student leader further charged.

Taking serious note of all the dishonest behaviors of Dr Zimik, SUPC has resolved to demand her immediate removal from the post of principal in-charge, Ningshen said while adding that in the event of the government failing to remove her by the set deadline, the students union would take recourse to various form of democratic agitations immediately, which would include sealing of the college indefinitely among others and for any eventuality the government would be held accountable, he warned.

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