Govt ban on hiring engineers hits estate department of varsity hard
Although the University of Pune (UoP) has lined up many ambitious projects in the near future, worth crores of rupees, these projects are facing a delay in implementation for one reason — manpower shortage at the varsity’s estate department, which looks after the infrastructural development of the university.
“Currently two posts of deputy engineer and five posts of junior engineer are vacant. The vacant posts include a separate post of electrical engineer, who is supposed to look after all electrical works at the varsity,” said R V Patil, executive engineer at the UoP.
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Infrastructureprojects stuck: The University of Pune, where many big projects like u00a0a Rs 60 crore special social science complex, a Rs 40 crore convention centre and a Rs 80 crore sports complex are in the pipeline. File Pic
Many big projects on the campus of the UoP are in the pipeline, which includes a special social science complex estimated at Rs 60 crore, a convention centre (Rs 40 crore), and sports complex (Rs 80 crore).
To complete these upcoming projects on time, former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the UoP Dr Sanjay Chahande, had announced the expansion of estate department. He proposed to double the number of existing engineers at the estate department. But in the last six months, only one executive engineer has joined the department.
As the state government has put a freeze on recruitments at public universities, there were no vacant positions filled at estate department since July 2008. That’s why, currently, six permanent posts of junior and deputy engineers remain vacant.
“According to the former V-C Dr Chahande’s plan, he proposed to recruit engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD) on deputation, as the government has put a stop to new recruitment. But, unfortunately, even the PWD is facing a manpower shortage,” said Patil.
Officiating registrar of the UoP, Dr C M Chitale, said the government ban on recruitment is still in place. “Recently two engineers joined the estate department, but I know the department is still facing a shortage of manpower. We have to find a permanent solution on this,” Dr Chitale said. u00a0
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