False allegations, anonymous letters, conspiracy to defame...

Well, this is not the storyline of some prime-time television soap opera, but the happenings at the Department of Environment Science of Bangalore University (BU) as per the findings of a high-level committee that went into its state of affairs.

Retired district and sessions judge Ko Chennabasappa headed the one-man committee and its findings are shocking.

Instead of academic harmony in the department, it found that the members of the staff of the department are vertically divided. Divisions among scholars and students had resulted in the decline of the academic standards.
The fact-finding committee was constituted by the BU Syndicate in November 27, 2006 to look into the affairs of the department from the administrative angle and recommend suitable administrative structure and process for effective functioning.

Allegations
It was also asked to examine the allegations and counter-allegations between Dr N Nandini, reader and chairperson, department of Environmental Science and Dr R K Somashekar, professor and former chairman of the same department.

After a comprehensive inquiry, the committee has prepared its report and the same will be placed before the Syndicate meeting on Saturday.

According to the report, a copy of which is with Deccan Herald, the committee found the present chairperson of the department N Nandini levelled charges of bribery and corruption against Dr Somashekar, by using concocted documents.

In fact, the committee found that Dr Nandini had gone to the extent of forcing students of the department write letters alleging charges of corruption against Dr Somashekar.

The committee in its 66-page report found that other charges levied against Dr Somashekar by Dr Nandini like receiving kickbacks from suppliers of equipment and service providers as baseless and false. Charges of harassment and gender prejudice were found to be false by the committee.

All this happened after Dr Nandini took over as chairperson of the department from Dr Somashekar as per the university’s rotation norms. As Dr Somashekar was the only professor in the department the chairmanship was given to Dr Nandini, a reader, when his tenure ended.

Fresh statutes
The committee in its recommendation has suggested that the university come out with fresh statutes, regulations and ordinances. Further, the committee has recommended that a reader should not be made chairperson.
The senior most professor should be the chairperson till he or she attains the age of superannuation.
The committee has further recommended that the vice-chancellor and registrar should take prompt and strict action in case of any indiscipline or misbehaviour on the part of the staff in any department and stem the indiscipline.