Varsity panel to decide on car facility to officials

MUMBAI, March 4: The University of Mumbai has set up a committee to review the provision of cars to officials other than the vice-chancel...

MUMBAI, March 4: The University of Mumbai has set up a committee to review the provision of cars to officials other than the vice-chancellor. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Management Council convened on Wednesday following a controversy over the car provided to the Director of Board of College and University Development (BCUD), Dr M N Welling.

The six-member panel, headed by Dr M R Kurup, will submit its report within a month, according to Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Naresh Chandra.

The council also resolved that Dr Welling will be permitted to use the car only for official purposes, till such time as the committee takes a decision. Under the Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994, only the vice-chancellor is entitled to an official vehicle, while the pro vice-chancellor enjoys this facility as per a resolution passed by the Executive Council (now the Management Council) in the early eighties.

Story continues below this ad

The Management Council had decided in December 1997 that Dr Welling should be provided with a car. This decision was made on the basis of information provided to it by the university that the former BCUD director Dr S A Kale had also been provided with a separate car.

However, Senate members had complained that the university was spending a huge amount of money on Dr Welling’s car. Besides, there were several complaints that Dr Kale had not been provided with a separate car – a fact conceded by the former director himself.

At Wednesday’s meet, the council decided that as an interim arragement the BUCD director will be allowed to travel along with the Registrar or other university officials, Dr Chandra stated.