JHANG, Oct 24: The College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang, is facing the ominous threat of being closed down due to dire financial constraints it continues to suffer from ever since its inception two years ago.

The CVAS fiscal vows aggravated by the exhaustion of the original grant of Rs 20 million by the end of 2007. “The college administration is now desperately awaiting the release of fresh funds by the government to salvage the sinking institution,” Principal Dr Ashiq Hussain Cheema told Dawn.

The college was opened in 2006 in a rented premises in the Satellite Town area of Jhang Sadar. An amount of Rs 20 million was provided by the Punjab government as seed money. The administration recruited 20 qualified teachers and 30 administration and support staff. The lecture rooms were furnished with necessary teaching aids and the laboratories equipped with sophisticated instruments and chemicals etc.

The trouble started after the exhaustion of the initial grant of Rs 20 million by the end of last year.

Cheema said the government of Punjab had agreed to provide 50 per cent of our development budget of Rs 486 million. The Higher Education Commission had agreed in principle to provide the remaining 50 per cent.

He said the Punjab government released a sum of Rs 50 million in June 2008 for the CVAS but the funds could not be utilized due to delayed release. “Efforts are being made to get the lapsed funds revalidated but the file is still shuttling between the livestock, finance and planning & development departments.

Cheema said college’s development work had seriously been hampered by lack of funds. “This year we had to curtail our admission from 100 to 60 students.”

He said CVAS’ parent institution, the University of Vet and Animal Sciences, Lahore, had given the college an amount of Rs 6 million to meet recurring expenses but that amount, too had run out and we were left with no money even for staff salaries.

The principal appealed to the relevant authorities to consider the mater on a priority basis and release the funds to help the college avert closure.

AMBUSH: One person was killed and two critically injured when unidentified dacoits opened indiscriminate fire on their car near Bhawana. According to details, Qalb-i-Abbas of Bhawana was returning form Faisalabad to Bhawana in the early hours of Friday. When he reached Pul 32, he was signalled by dacoits to stop the car. Abbas instead pressed the accelerator and tried to run to safety but the dacoits opened fire on the car. Resultantly, Abbas died on spot. His companions, Imran and Shafique, were shifted to the Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, in critical condition.