Kozhikode: The Kannur University Syndicate's decision to disburse pending money to the contractor who undertook the construction of the University headquarters building at Thavakarra is creating a row in the varsity.
The syndicate decision came at a time when the enquiry into the alleged financial misappropriation in the construction had not yet been completed.
A section of employees in the University alleged that the decision taken by the syndicate was abetting corruption in the varsity.
After many complaints raised against the building construction, the building committee of the varsity decided to conduct an inquiry into the issue and suspended the disbursal of the pending Rs 33 lakh to be given to the contractor on May 18.
However the inquiry has not been conducted due to various reasons. The building committee meeting also decided not to approve the estimate for the Library building in the campus till the inquiry was over.
However, the syndicate meeting held on October 14 decided to release the pending amount to the contractor. The syndicate also approved the new estimate for the library.
Defending the decision, Kannur University Vice Chancellor Dr M.K Abdul Khader said that the varsity had the provision to retrieve the amount from the contractor if further inquiry found him guilty.
"We have over Rs one crore as retention amount from the contractor. If any misappropriation is found in the inquiry, we can take it from the amount deposited in the varsity," he said.
Justifying the syndicate decision, he said to avoid further delay in the construction of the library and for the best interests of the university, the decision had been taken to disburse the pending amount to the contractor.
