DUTA strikes as DDU College governing body defends Delhi govt disbursals

New Delhi: As thousands of teachers from the Delhi University went on strike on Thursday over unpaid salaries to those working 12 of the varsity's colleges fully funded by the Delhi government, the governing body of the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, one of the 12, held a press conference claiming the college was not paying salaries despite having Rs 22.44 crore in surplus.

The call for a university "shutdown" was given by the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) on Tuesday as many employees of the 12 DU colleges, that are 100 per cent funded by Delhi government, alleged that they had not received their salaries and other dues for over six months.

"We don't want our students to suffer, that is why we didn't take this drastic step for the longest time. But then we were not left with an option as many employees — teaching and non-teaching — have not been getting their salaries and pensions for the last six months now," DUTA President Rajib Ray told wire services. The strike will intensify in the coming days, the DUTA has said.

However, defending the Delhi government's disbursal of grants-in-aid, DDU College Governing Body Member Anil Chaudhary said the government had cleared the third installment for the college in December itself.

Chaudhary said, "A recent audit report shows that the college has Rs 22,44,31,314 in surplus under different heads. The Delhi government is liable to the deficit only after the utilisation of reserves as per the pattern of assistance for the release of grant-in-aid to 100 per cent funded Delhi government-sponsored college affiliated to Delhi University. Even if we were not to include the student society fund in the calculation of the surplus funds, the college still has Rs 64,879,576 sitting in its bank account."

Various other members of the governing body went on to say that not only has the college not disbursed salaries from the money they have received, but the college has also failed to submit any utilisation certificate against the same. This non-submission of the utilisation certificate has caused a delay in the Delhi government releasing the fourth installment for the college.