‘Unused mobile library a waste of funds’

A former senate member of the University of Mumbai has criticised the varsity’s proposal to invest in an aircraft for a new course in aviation while its previous investments are gathering dust. The former member has said a mobile library van purchased and inaugurated in 2014 amid much fanfare has been lying unused at the Fort campus for the past eight months. He alleged that it was a waste of university funds as well as disservice to the intended beneficiaries and said the van should be made functional at the earliest.

Sanjay Wairal, former senate member, said officials were guilty of squandering funds that belonged to the students. “The van was purchased by the university to provide access to study material, videos and presentations to students living in mofussul areas. While initially the van visited far-off areas in Thane, Raigad and Sindhudurg, it has been lying unused at the Fort campus since the past eight to nine months. The university wants to be progressive, but at what cost A lot of money was invested in modifying the van to provide learning on the go, but all that is now being laid to waste,” said Mr Wairal.

He added that the absence of a full-fledged senate, management and academic council was the reason officials could get away with such an irresponsible behaviour.

The fully air-conditioned van is installed with five computers, an LCD projector, a 130-inch plasma screen, among other facilities.

The van also has books in English, Hindi and Marathi, e-books, journals and previous question papers of various subjects being offered by the university.

When asked about the same, Dr Manali Londhe, director, department of students welfare, which is responsible for the van, said the van was not being sent on visits for various reasons but the service would start soon. “The van was not being used during the monsoon and later the exams started, hence it was not sent out. However, our department, in consultation with the university authorities, is drawing up a new timetable for the van and it will start visiting the rural areas once again,” said Dr Londhe.