Hyderabad scholar death: UoH failed to stem the rot, says probe team

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The two-member fact-finding committee sent by the Union HRD ministry to probe the suicide of PhD scholar Rohith Vemula in the University of Hyderabad is learnt to have found fault with the university administration for its inept handling of the students’ suspension issue, which triggered unrest on the campus for the past four months.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the ministry by Saturday. Based on this report, the ministry is likely to sack Prof. Appa Rao Podile as vice-chancellor. Prof. Appa Rao took over as VC only in September 2014 and if suspended he would become the VC with the shortest tenure at the UoH. His six-year term is set to end in 2020.

The committee is said to have felt that there is strong resentment against Prof. Appa Rao among dalit students  ever since his tenure as chief warden in the campus between 2001 and 2004. Prof. Appa Rao’s tenure as chief warden was also mired in controversy as he faced similar allegations of discriminating against Dalit students in hostels and messes, which led to suspension of a few Dalit students and violent incidents on the campus then.

I cut the quantum of punishment: Vice Chancellor

Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile, in the eye of a storm, has reiterated that he will not quit the post in UoH, and rejected allegations that he is a BJP man. “I am not a party person. I have been appointed through a normal selection process involving 190 candidates and selected on the basis of merit,” he asserted, dismissing the charge that he was a nominee of a Union minister.

“It is only a coincidence that the VC’s selection happened during NDA period. As the head of the university, people think I am responsible for the suicide of the research scholar. The case was ongoing even before I took charge,” he said.

He was targeted as the suspension was withdrawn by in-charge VC Professor Sharma, but it was implemented in a diluted form by the new VC, following a court case. Mr Appa Rao wants the functioning of the university to carry on unhindered.

Stressing that he was lenient with the five expelled students and reduced the scale of punishment against them by overstepping the recommendation of the full EC committee, Mr Appa Rao said studies, research work and administrative functions cannot wait.

Students, the V-C said, would wait for the High Court decision over a plea to lift the suspension of the group of research students. ABVP leader N. Susheel Kumar’s mother filing the petition and the court taking it seriously created a situation in which the university could not avoid taking action.

Under pressure to give an Action Taken Report (ATR), he effected the suspension of the students from the university hostel, the VC said. It was in mid-November 2015 that the HC sought the ATR and gave the university just a few days’ time. “In the full meeting held on 27 November 2015, I proposed to the EC to be a bit lenient. The punishment recommended by the proctoral board – suspension of the students for the entire semester — would deprive these students of the scholarships.

As chairman of EC, I have reduced the scale of punishment to simple suspension from the hostel. It was made clear the students would be permitted in schools, departments, library and academic block, but not in groups in the hostel, administration wing and other public places on the campus, he explained.

Mr Appa Rao said he taught microbiology to Rohith, who committed suicide, and his loss was a personal loss to him. He wanted to meet Rohit’s family now and would do the best for them. Appa Rao is a native of Thullur in Guntur district.

Sitaram Yechury says Ministers, V-C are criminals
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday said that the issues leading to the suicide of Rohith Vemula should be treated as a criminal offence and Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, HRD minister Smriti Irani and university VC Appa Rao Podile be booked under the recently ame-nded SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Mr Yechury said he will seek intervention by President Pranab Mukherjee and ask him as on basis the university was given the Visitor’s Award for Best University last year even as 12 Dalit scholars had committed suicide in the university over the last few years.

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member Seema has written to the President and the Vice-President to immediately call a meeting of the university court to remove Appa Rao from the post of VC.

He said Prime Minis-ter Narendra Modi should order an inquiry and sack those responsible for the death of Rohith Vemula.

Committee may consider discrimination allegation
The committee took serious view of the same allegations of discrimination and violent incidents on the campus cropping up within four months after he assumed office as VC.

“These observations made by the inquiry committee while taking the depositions from suspended Dalit students, other students, research scholars and faculty members as part of its two-day inquiry would be crucial in deciding the fate of  the VC,” said some senior faculty members and students, who deposed before the committee. The committee comprising Shakila T. Shamshu and Surat Singh completed their inquiry on Wednesday and they refused to comment on their probe.

Andhra Pradesh: Buddhist pillars found under temple

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The famous pilgrimage temple at Tripuranthakam in Prakasham district dated 13th century was built on a Buddhist Pavilion, archaeologists have revealed after finding two pillars in the premises with Buddhist inscriptions dated first century AD.

The pillars were found while the temple authorities were digging adascent to the temple complex. Experts opined that the existing temple was raised over a Buddhist site of Satavahana period.

Buddhist scholar and archeologist Dr E Siva Nagi Reddy said, “It is surprising to note that Buddhist remains are recovered from the premises of Goddess Bala Tirupura Sundari Temple. Temple authorities were renovating the buttressed compound wall which laid bare foundations of a gopura structure. A number of Buddhist remains were recovered,”

The pillars are carved on Planadu lime stone.

“They carry the half lotus medallions, a typical Buddhist symbol, with two line Brahmi inscription datable to the first Century AD. With another inscription in Devanagari script is datable to 10th century AD. This reveals that the pillars were used for raising the temple structure,” said Nagi Reddy.

There are two Buddhist stupas located at Chandavaram and Dupadu  in close proximity to Tripuranthakam.

"Future probes in the area may yield promising results on the Buddhist remains of the early centuries," said Nagi Reddy.

Experts asked the temple authorities and endowments department to preserve the valuable Buddhist pillars which bear historical significance and to display in the temple premises.

700-year-old idol of Ganesh found

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

A 14th century Ganesha idol that is believed to have been worshipped by soldiers during war was excavated accidentally during foundation laying works for a structure in the premises of KCP Sugar Mills at Challapalli in Krishna district.

The idol, belonging to the Kalinga style, has huge historical importance as it belongs to rulers of the Telugu kingdom.

The Ganesha, seated in the Lalilasana on a pedestal, has been identified by archaeologists from Vijayawada as belonging to from Eastern Ganga period.

The idol was discovered when a worker hit the stone with a crowbar. When officials looked for the source, they found the idol. The impact chipped off a small flake on the left hand of the granite idol.

AP Deputy Speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad was informed by KCP officials and he rushed to the spot and informed archaeologist Dr E. Siva Nagi Reddy of the Cultural Centre at Vijayawada.

“The Ganesha idol has four hands, it holds an akshamala (rosary) in the right lower hand and danta (tusk) in the lower left hand. The upper right and left hands hold the pasa (noose) and the anukusa (goad) respectively,” said Dr Nagi Reddy.

He said that the sculpture having a jatamakuta on the head and holding the akshamala in the right hand indicates that it belongs to the 14th century AD.

He added “During the rule of Amavema Reddy in the 14th century, the Eastern Ganga king Bhanudeva-IV camped at Srikakulam close to Challapalli during which time the sculpture was carved by the Kalinga sculptors for the regiment. A similar Ganesha idol with jatamakuta and akshamala is seen at Kitching, a medieval temple centre in Odisha. In all probability the Ganesha idol represents the Kalinga style of art."

KCP officials are building a temple for the idol. The Deputy Speaker said that there is need to take up a thorough survey by the state department of archaeology in the Eastern Gangas in Diviseema.

Agarwal Packers penalised Rs 20,000

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redre-ssal Forum-3 has ordered Agarwal Packers and Movers to pay Rs 20,000 to a Hyderabad resident for damaging the goods which he had booked for transport from New Delhi to the city.

Mr Raghuveer Reddy of Mytrinagar, Madinaguda, told the forum that he had paid Rs 24,927 including insurance to the company to transport some household items.

The goods arrived 10 days later than promised. A washing machine, computer tables, refrigerator, shoe rack and dish TV antenna were damaged, he said.

A water purifier and a set top box were not delivered, clothes had become wet, the almirah was dented and beds were damaged.

Mr Reddy alleged that the cost of the damaged goods was Rs 50,000. When he complained, the company offered Rs 7,000 and alleged that he had concocted the list. It said the complainant had engaged its services for transportation of his goods at his own risk and alleged that the consignment consisted of used goods with no article costing more than Rs 10,000.

It put the value of the consignment at about Rs 40,500, and claimed that they were delivered in proper condition. To this, Mr Reddy produced photographs of the damaged articles.

The forum said that the company had failed in its duty to deliver the goods intact and that it cannot deny liability. It said the complainant was entitled to a reasonable compensation.

Fifty four cr scam in Garrison unearthed budget misused for bogus work: CBI

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy

The CBI has unearthed an alleged maintenance fraud worth crores in the Military Engineering Service of Mudfort in Secunderabad. It has registered an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Garrison Engineer, Utility M.K. Deepak. Searches were conducted at his office and residence at Mudfort on Saturday.

A CBI source said, “Based on the information we received, over a period of time, the garrison engineer and others, in the name of maintenance, have been misappropriating funds. We have booked a case under Section 13 (1)(d) of PC Act, Sections 120 B for criminal conspiracy and 420 IPC for cheating, and conducted searches.”

CBI has alleged in the FIR that despite there being no need for repairs, the accused misused the defence maintenance budget.

The CBI has alleged in the FIR that despite there being no need for repairs, the accused misused the defence maintenance budget to the tune of crores of rupees every year and caused losses to the exchequer.

“Ever year, Rs 54 crore is being spent on electrical maintenance works of military quarters, military hospital, AOC swimming pools, replacement of transformers coils, bulbs, switchboards and other electrical equipment in the Secunderabad Cantonment area, which falls under the Mudfort garrison office limits.It is suspected that at least 25 to 30 per cent of these works are bogus. The alleged fraud may have taken place in the award of contracts and it is going on for the past three years. The budget is allocated every year and they were repeating the repair and replacement works every year in the name of maintenance. Each contract is worth Rs 15 lakh and there are awarded every year to contractors,” said a source.

According to defence sources, Deepak is a civil service engineer working in Garrison of MES. The Sothern Command Vigilance of military also conducted checks and is preparing a detailed report on the alleged irregularities.

CBI investigation found that in one instance, lakhs of rupees were wasted in the repair of a laundry plant in the military hospital.

“The plant originally costs `16 lakh, but every year they have spent Rs 8 lakh on it for the past few years; the total amount spent on it is around Rs 32 lakh. They could have got a new one instead. For replacing any major parts of plant or equipment, a garrison inspector has to certify that they are beyond economic repair but in most cases certificates are not taken.”

Though the garrison engineer is entitled to grant 75 works every year, in 2013 and 2014, he had executed several works beyond his capacity said the CBI.
Around 2,025 works were executed in a year. The garrison engineer has been claiming that they were ratified by higher officials.

“Another irregularity is syndicate and ring tendering where the price is fudged. Instead of going for competitive pricing, contractors form a ring or syndicate and get information regarding the base price fixed leaked to them, and tenders are filed in such a way that the authorities won’t get the best competitive price in the market. Instead of cancelling the tender, the official has been facilitating them,” said a CBI source.

Around 23 contracting works have been identified so far wherein syndicate or ring tendering took place. In an operation theatre in the Military Hospital, they have replaced each bulb worth Rs 9,000 every year.

Officials also found that log books and plant record books were not maintained properly.