GUJRAT: The University of Gujrat (UoG) has finally regularised the service of as many as 85 associate lecturers and teaching assistants hired 3-4 years back on daily wages or against six-month contracts at the varsity’s four constituent colleges.

These teachers, mostly female, hired under the Punjab government’s internship programme, have been agitating for regularisation since long.

As Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin had assured them of regularisation, the administration created these posts in the annual UoG budget.

The VC had been advised by the Syndicate to create these posts in the budget before seeking its approval through the selection board.

As the selection board had already short-listed the candidates, the Syndicate in its last meeting held around a week ago approved the appointments after which they were issued appointment letters.

These teachers, now being UoG staffers, will be posted by the varsity administration at its city and Hafiz Hayat campuses.

Meanwhile, the UoG has also launched a three-day marathon selection board for making appointments against at least 25 administrative posts lying vacant since long.

Sources said as many as 285 candidates had been short-listed for these posts.

COAL POWER: A district government meeting reviewed progress on the feasibility report for installation of the coal power plant planned for Gujrat by the Punjab government.

The district administration had also been asked to suggest site for installation of the plant.

A meeting held here on Monday and presided over by Gujrat District Coordination Officer Liaqat Ali Chatha discussed the proposals made by the irrigation, water and power departments with regard to the project.The meeting was told by the DCO that two sites had been proposed to the government for the project along the Upper Jhelum Canal in Sara-i-Alamgir tehsil remits. The feasibility report about both sites would be sent to the provincial government for further action, he added.

The officials of the departments concerned also apprised the meeting of progress on the matter and briefed the participants on project planning.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd , 2014