Aurangabad, May 7:
The inquiry of the non-operational 'Mobile Science Van' seems to have been shelved for reasons better known to the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Bamu) administration. Three months ago, the management council constituted a four-member committee, but the inquiry could not start as the varsity failed to issue an official letter in this regard. The van costing around Rs 60 lakh is parked in front of the varsity's zoology department.
It so happened that the Management Council had a discussion on the van in its meeting held on February 8. The university neither possesses the vehicle paper nor it is registered in the name of BAMU. It is registered in the name of one person from West Bengal. Hence the council members to find out the facts appointed a four-member inquiry committee comprising Dean Dr. Bhalchandra Waikar (head), Dr. Rajesh Karpe, Dr. Phulchand Salampure, and Dr. Rahul Mhaske. However, the varsity administration had not issued an official letter to this committee stating to start the inquiry.
During the tenure of the past vice-chancellor Dr. B A Chopade, the mobile van was purchased from Kolkatta's National Council of Science Museum way back in 2016-17. Like Nehru Planetarium, the van visited the nearby colleges in the district. It gave presentations comprising slide shows and demonstrated the devices and instruments utilised in viewing the Sun, the Stars, the Planets. The aim was to develop the interest of the students in the Science and the Planetarium. Now, for the past 2-3 years, the van is parked irresponsibly and lying in the pile of dust on the varsity campus.
Boxxxxxxxxx
A member of the inquiry committee, Dr. Karpe said, " The university administration had not given us a formal written letter to start the inquiry. The committee was formed in February. Later on, the Coronavirus got spread in the district. During this period the workload on the university administration was also reduced then also the letter was not issued. I inquired about the issue with the varsity administration on Friday. I am told that the letter in this regard will be issued in a couple of days."