Construction of college swimming pools Lobbying muddy UGC plan
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 24 2011: Capitalising on the UGC's plan to develop sports infrastructure in different colleges of the State, some local contractors, instead of college Principals, have been lobbying hard for the contract work of the proposed swimming pools.

Further investigation by The Sangai Express in the proposed construction of swimming pools in different colleges revealed that local contractors have been lobbying to secure necessary sanction to construct swimming pools for some colleges with or without knowledge of the Principals concerned.

The UGC's North Eastern regional office located at Guwahati sanctioned Rs 50 lakhs each on March 31 this year as first instalment for constructing swimming pools in DM College of Science and Modern College.

Similar proposals for Jiri College, YK College, Mayai Lambi College, Regional College and Presidency College have been forwarded by Manipur University to the UGC.

In the meantime, local contractors have been lobbying hard to get contract the works for constructing swimming pools with UGC grants, even before the necessary funds have been sanctioned.

It remains a big question why and how the college authorities handed over the task of lobbying and/or construction of swimming pools to the contractors.

According to documents collected and collated by The Sangai Express, architectural designs of each of the proposed swimming pools are exactly similar.

These architectural designs were drawn by a single architect.

As per the common architectural design, none of these swimming pools would have any of the facilities generally associated with a swimming pool.

As such, these swimming pools would be nothing more than simple ponds.

There is no facility for bathroom where a bath before and after entering the swimming pool is mandatory.

Neither is there water treatment plant nor drainage system where water from the swimming can be drained out.

Moreover, the UGC's sanctioned amount does not reflect anything about equipment apart from constructing the swimming pools.

Meanwhile, reacting to the news item about construction of swimming pools as published on June 22 issue, Jiri College authority has clarified that they have applied for the swimming but the UGC has not approved it.

Prabhavati College Mayang Imphal negated the report saying that they have not applied for the swimming pool.

Meanwhile, Additional Director (Higher Education) RK Yaiskul informed that the college teachers' association and the department have agreed to constitute a committee to evaluate performance of teachers.

Further discussions would be held so that Ministers do not interfere as and when the committee takes up fitting actions against teachers.

At present, more than 220 additional teachers are required in the Government colleges, Yaiskul said.

Saying that most of the colleges have become sick due to inability on the part of the authority to appoint necessary teachers in time, the Additional Director informed that efforts are on to open BSc Computer Science course in DM College of Science, Thoubal College and Moirang College and BSc Bio-Chemistry in Manipur College.

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