With the All Nagaland College Students Union (ANCSU) demanding resignation of Nagaland’s director of technical education Arjun Singh by May 30, the officer on special duty (OSD) has requested the higher authority of the department to take preventive measures.
According to information, the OSD of the technical education department, Vipulhou Lhoungu, has written to the commissioner and secretary of the department, Dinesh Kumar, requesting him to put in place precautionary measures to prevent steps by the students’ body which may affect the normal functioning of the directorate of the department.
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The All Nagaland College Students Union (ANCSU) on May 25 had demanded resignation of Nagaland’s director of technical education Arjun Singh by May 30.
The letter said the union had verbally informed the department staff that it would lock the directorate if Singh fails to resign by May 30.
The students’ body demanded immediate resignation of the director due his failure to furnish information on alleged misappropriation of scholarship funds.
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In a letter appended by its president Katho P. Awomi and vice president Vimeyiekho Vitso on May 25, the union warned the director and the directorate not to add “more fuel to the fire” on the matter that occurred due to the department’s “corrupt way of functioning”.
The union said it was compelled to demand the director’s resignation as he had allegedly continually failed to uphold and protect the welfare of the student community.
It cautioned that failure to comply with its demand would invite strong retaliation from the students’ community. It said it would not accept any excuses or clarification on the issue.
The union pointed out that despite seeking information on misappropriation of scholarship funds, the department failed to respond and rather made attempts to shield those officers and staff involved.
It said since the director was accountable for misappropriation of funds in the department, his holding the office as director “is nothing less hat a threat to the welfare of the Naga student community”.
The union further warned that the director will be held fully responsible for any untoward incident that may occur if he fails to meet its demand.
In his letter to the commissioner and secretary, the OSD said the ANCSU had filed a number of RTI applications to the directorate requesting to furnish the names of the officers and staff involved in misappropriation of scholarship funds.
He explained that the information sought has not been possible since there are no records available of the same.
The OSD also said the CAG report on misappropriation of the said funds relates to a period of a retired and now deceased director.
The disputed amount was also recovered and deposited into the government account, he said.
The matter is now with the Nagaland Lokayukta police and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and still under investigation, the letter said.