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Where do the proceeds of KU nurseries go?
Karachi, April 16(The News): A number of nurseries have emerged along the outer boundary wall of the
University of Karachi between Silver Jubilee Gate and the Staff Town Gate
raising a few eyebrows and questions.
We talked to a number of
senior professors who expressed their willingness to speak about the nursery
requesting that their names not be divulged. A professor was sarcastic about the
new development saying the nursery inside the campus had withered due to the
negligence of the university garden staff but the Vice Chancellor had given the
land to private parties. "It is surprising. No tenders were floated. No one was
taken into confidence. Prime land has been given to the nursery mafia. It is an
irony indeed," he said.
Another professor feigned his ignorance about
the latest development and thought it might be the case of 'you scratch my back,
I scratch yours'. "The university should have done it instead of gifting it to
others. "What use are the hordes of employees currently employed by the
university in its nursery?" he asked.
Prof Pirzada Qasim, Vice Chancellor
of the university vehemently denied such allegations saying that it was given to
the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) for the purpose of beautification of
the area as it was littered with plastic bags, and writings on the wall
presented a dismal picture of the university. "The area along the outer wall is
ultimately to be turned into the service lane when the reconstruction of the
University Road begins. When asked who will get the proceeds from the sale of
flower plants, he said that the university was not to receive any amount from
the nursery owners. He expressed his ignorance about the beneficiary of the
revenue generated from the nurseries.
We talked to the owner of the
nursery on Wednesday but he declined saying that he was working for CDGK. The
power for the nursery comes from a nearby pole (Kunda system) and water is
supposedly supplied by the tankers.
The VC derided the non-conformists
saying they were 'grumblers' who did nothing except giving their unsolicited
advice. "They do nothing. Where were they when the land was lying vacant in such
a pathetic state presenting very bleak picture of the university?" he asked. He
said that the land will be returned to the university without delay when asked
for its return and it was not an encroachment. According to him, the nurseries
would not use electricity or water from the university. However, he was not sure
how the nurseries would fulfill the need of water and electricity.
Lubna,
a student of the university had a few questions to ask from the university
authorities instead of expressing her views. "Will there be a sidewalk for the
students to walk on? Is the university administration erecting a shade on the
University Road to save us from the burning sun? Will the Rangers or the
university security staff save us from the pestering urchins who live on the
encroached university land and beg, steal and are engaged in many other
activities?" May be the university has some answers. Let us wait and see.
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| Education News | | Updated: 21 May, 2012 |
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