HC seeks state reply on unpaid salaries of central univ affiliated college teachers

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand high court on Friday directed the state govt to clarify its position on the non-payment of salaries to teachers and staff of eight colleges affiliated with Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (HNBGU), a central university, and submit a response within two weeks.A single bench of Justice Alok Kumar Verma was hearing a contempt petition on irregular salary payments, stalled appointments and lack of promotion. Court questioned why teachers and staff at these colleges continued to receive irregular salaries despite orders issued by a division bench and an agreement reached between the state and Central govts. The court also questioned why new appointments were not being made.According to the case details, teachers and staff at eight colleges affiliated with HNBGU have not received their salaries for the past five years. Petitioners said following an earlier court order, a meeting on salary disbursement was held in 2024 involving the Centre, state govt and the central university, where it was decided that as long as the matter remained sub judice (pending) before the HC the state govt would be responsible for salary payment. However, the state govt refused to pay the salaries, arguing that the issue pertained to a central university.When employees staged protests, salaries were irregularly disbursed – sometimes after a gap of six months. Unpaid salaries despite the court’s orders prompted a contempt petition.The institutions mentioned in the petition include – DAV PG College, DBS College, DWT College and MKP PG College in Dehradun; Guru Ram Rai College in Mussoorie and Dehradun; MPG College in Mussoorie; Mahila Mahavidyalaya in Sati Kund, Kankhal, Haridwar; Chinmaya Degree College in Haridwar; and Rath Mahavidyalaya in Paithani, Pauri Garhwal.