M A I L B A G

Aided colleges: In defence of state control

Apropos of the news-item, "Govt tightens control over aided colleges" (Nov 24), the state government and the affiliating universities are within their powers to impose the condition of having their nominees on the selection panel for lecturers and principals for fair and impartial selection. Since there is no inherent power given to the managements of private colleges to transfer a lecturer/principal from one college to another, appointment by transfer cannot be approved by the government/university.

Service in a DAV college is not an all-India or state-level job. The illegally and arbitrarily transferred principals of DAV colleges of Ambala, Karnal and Pehowa should immediately be sent back to their actual place of posting. In fact, the DAV Management, New Delhi, has no legal right and jurisdiction to manage the affairs of various DAV colleges because it is neither the statutory governing body of any DAV college nor the appointing and punishing authority of its staff.

Prof DEEPAK GARG, DAV College, Karnal

II

Haryana's Higher Education Commissioner has rightly decided to tone up the administration of privately managed government-aided colleges and provide security of service to the employees. The university calendar is not a literary piece of composition and non-government recognised colleges are supposed to enforce statutory rules in the matter of appointments and others service conditions of teachers. Moreover, the Security of Service Act has the overriding effect.

No doubt, some principals run the colleges as their personal fiefdom and misuse college property for personal ends. Some DAV Principals think that they are a law unto themselves because the self-styled managers of DAV Management, New Delhi, are trying to run a parallel directorate and parallel university.

Prof UMESH KUMAR, Faridabad

III

There are enough laws to control these colleges. The sad state of affairs is that Vice-Chancellors of Haryana's universities and the Directorate of Higher Education, Haryana, have not exercised the authority vested in them under the law. It is good that the Directorate of Higher Education has woken up at least now.

RAKESH MALHOTRA, Karnal

Himachal projects

Just as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has demanded the transfer of the Salal project to his state government, the Himachal Pradesh government should also demand handing over of the Bhakra, Dehar, Pong and Baira Siul projects to it. For, these projects, located in Himachal Pradesh, have earned more than what was invested on them. This would solve the problem of the oustees as well.

In fact, Himachal Pradesh is yet to get its due share from these projects. The state government had to knock the doors of the Supreme Court. The Shanan Power House at Joginder Nagar, presently under the control of the Punjab State Electricity Board, should also be transferred to Himachal Pradesh.

Er C.L. GUPTA, Chief Engineer (retd) Jaidevi (Mandi)

Deterrent for MPs

Congress MP Pawan Kumar Bansal's suggestion to cut the daily allowance of MPs if they disrupt Parliament is commendable and needs to be implemented. This would act as a deterrent. MPs will be doubly careful before wasting time and misusing the taxpayer's money through walkouts and creating nuisance in Parliament.

To go one step further, if an MP disrupts the proceedings twice a year, he or she should be disqualified from the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha as also barred from contesting the elections.

SUMEET SETH, Kaithal